A bikers tale of love
by Ms. Imagination at 3AM
Summary: Happy Lowman's mom is sick, and he has finally agreed to a live in nurse. But what happens when he meets the lovely Arabella, finds out about a stalker, and handles club business?
1. A Biker's Tale of love

A/N: I do not own Sons of Anarchy or any of the characters, I do not work for F/X or the show, this is simply a tale that is based off the characters created by Kurt Sutter and it has been stuck in my head that I want to share with all of you! Happy reading!

**Chapter One**

**Meetings**

HAPPY POV~

_Another hot day here in Charming, God damn this town, the mess with the Irish and than finding Jax's son was all successful and now it's quiet, too quiet. I need something, something to get my mind back to being 'happy'. Maybe the club needs someone killed. Then again there is my mother, she is getting sicker and medications are getting expensive, her social worker suggested that we hire a live in caregiver, and her insurance would cover it because she is hospice. So there was the mess of interviews that was coming up today at 3pm. A fucking live-in, great…_

"Hey Tacoma Killer, what you thinkin' about here all by yourself?"

It was Jax, holding his son Abel.

"Just thinking about the interviews that I have to do today."

"Interviews, what the hell you got going on that you have to interview."

"Mom is getting sicker and she needs more care, insurance shits' gonna pay for a live-in caregiver so I have to meet with them today and pick one. Fucking fantastic."

"Ouch, well you got my sympathy bro; let me know if you need anything." Jax walks off cuddling his son in his arms. He looks the happiest he has been in months.

_I'll sit for another drink, its 2:15pm if I leave now I will be able to have another beer at home and ask mom how her day has been. Can't believe that I agreed to this, but then again, I can't be home with her all the time. Fuck it, how long could it possibly last?_

Happy pulls up outside of his house and already sees the social worker there waiting for him, along with two interviewers. And it starts, fucking fantastic.

The afternoon carries on with interview after interview, not only am I not impressed, neither is my mom. Who the hell are we really going to invite into our house, let alone live with us? All the interviews are done after what feels like hours of questions and we are finally wrapping up and getting ready to schedule the next round of interviews when knock comes on the door, thought we were done for the day. Fuck. At this point, what the fuck is one more incompetent bat interviewing for a job that she will never get?

I open the door, and standing in front of me is the most heavenly creature I have seen in my life, nothing like the middle aged and old crones I have seen today. She has long flowing brown hair, piercing hazel eyes, lush pink limps that she was sliding cherry flavored carmex on, and a figure that no man could complain about. She looked to be about in her mid 20's, and to my satisfaction, there was no ring on her hand. Where the hell did she come from?

"Yeah?" He asked in that raspy voice that he has always had.

"Hi! I'm Arabella Flowers; I am here for the interview for the live in care giver? I am so sorry that I am late but my plane was delayed. I really hope I can still have an interview?" She flashes a smile that could stop traffic and waits for me to answer. Where the fuck did she come from?

Happy opens the door and gestures for her to come in and he watches her as she flashes a smile and walks past him to the kitchen where the social worker is sitting. She sits down like she is at home and flashes a smile that has the social worker and my mom smiling back at her, like we all have not been through what feels like an eternity of jack ass interviews. Just something about her makes you want to be there. And then she starts by looking my mother in the eye and introducing herself.

"My name is Arabella Flowers Mrs. Lohman. And I am hoping by the end of this interview you will see that I am a great choice for this job." With another flash of that gorgeous smile that had me staring.

"So, tell us about your background and where you have worked." asks Carol our case worker.

"Well I went to a local college back in my hometown back in Minnesota and there I bounced around from the cities to Chicago to New Orleans and now I want to check out the coast. I figured this is a new avenue that I have not tried and I would like to give it a shot."

"What have you done in the field of caregiver?" Carol asks with a smile.

"Well I started out at an emergency room nurse in the cities, loved the rush I got from not knowing what you are going to get through that door and then I decided that I wanted to try travel nursing and I got to go help out after the big hurricane through it and I wanted to stay in the area so I did a stint with FEMA and transitioned to critical care down in New Orleans. But once I got my fix, I am just trying to decide what path I want to stay on with my nursing career. So I'm looking for a good fit you could say."

She sounded so fucking confident, not like she had someone's life in her hands and that life was my mother's. I had to know.

"And if this job doesn't 'fit you' as you say, where does the life, my mother, end up?" let's see what she has to say to that I say with a sneer. Happy continues to glare with assessing eyes.

"Mr. Lohman, I am not a stranger to death, critical situations, and having lives in my hands, I love it, and I take great care when I promise someone my time, if I get this job I intend to see it through till the end or when your mother no longer wants me. My patient will always be my top priority." She says this with a glint of hazel as she matches me glare for glare.

At this point I realize she is the real deal with the looks to match. She finishes the interview with the ease of pro after years of experience. I can tell my mother likes her; she has not stopped smiling at her since she came in and introduced herself to her first. When the interview is over I ask one last question…

"What about family, you know that we only want the care giver to move in, this is a non-negotiable point." I wondered if there was someone else out there, someone that needed to disappear and quickly.

With that cool calm assessing demeanor and sexy smile she replies "No I don't have a family and no parents, it's just me and it has allowed me to travel with ease if you will."

_Good. _I have an inner smile but continue to look at her with a gaze that would make most cower. We finish out the interview and that is when Carol closes it out.

"Well Ms. Flowers if you will leave your resume and information here we will be getting back to you with a decision."

_You're hired, and your mine._

"Well if you could let me know in the next two days that would be great, I have lined up other interviews and they do require traveling."

_You're not going anywhere._ My back tenses and damn her assessing gaze she catches it but only flashes a polite smile. And with that she gets up and leaves.

ARABELLA POV~

_That had to be the most intimidating man ever; his eyes were like flint and never left my face. I tried to be polite and stay on topic but there has only been one other man that looked at me with as much intensity as that along with making me feel like a scared rabbit, and I pray he never finds me again. But there was more than this man's harsh stare, there was a curiosity about him and an air that gave off the feeling that he got what he wanted and he didn't care about the consequences. Damn, this could complicate things. But I need this job, and now. _

Ara had been successful at hiding through her travel nursing for the past three years, thank god for that. She loved New Orleans but damn it all to hell he had found her and she had to keep moving. She hoped this gig would hold out a couple of months while she figured out her next move and how to disappear permanently, she was a hospice case in the final stages. Now that the interview was over she planned on walking through the shops downtown and find a nice hotel to stay in, more importantly getting out of this stuffy business suit.

With the last thought Ara put on her aviator style sunglasses and walked off to her car and drove off.

HAPPY POV~

He stood in the window watching…her.

Something about her and the way her eyes were almost haunted had him hooked, she was spooked and he intended to find out why. And then he would use it to own her. He couldn't believe that he was thinking like this, Happy who has never needed anyone was contemplating taking a woman of his own.

"Mr. Lowman, should we schedule the next round of nurses for tomorrow?" Carole said with a smile.

"No. It's her." Happy's mother smiled approvingly.

"Mr. Lowman, I think we really should..." She didn't get to finish her sentence before Happy cut her off.

"I said no, it's her." He watched intensely as her car drove off.

Happy walked over to the table and grabbed her application and took note of her full name and birth date; Arabella Marie Flowers, July of 1982, means she was 30 years old. This will help when Juice ran her name through the system later.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Just another lovely reminder that I do not own SOA or any of the characters. I was so excited I wanted to share chapter 2 with you guys ASAP! Be kind, I have never done something like this before! Happy reading!

**Chapter 2**

**A flower in the bikers grasp**

HAPPY POV~

"Run it." Happy threw down a piece of paper with her information in front of Juice who was on his laptop at the club bar.

"What's up with the chick?" Juice looked at the name and then back at Happy.

"She is going to take care of my mom, run it."

"Ok, give me about an hour."

Happy walked off back to his dorm room to get ready for the party tonight. Thoughts of long flowing brown hair and hazel eyes were stuck in his mind.

_A woman, the club was going to give shit big time over this one, fucking great._

Thirty minutes later Juice was knocking on Happy's door.

"Hey man I got the info you wanted on this chick." Juice was smiling as he waved papers in front of Happy's face.

"Thanks." Happy snatched the papers out of his hand and closed the door and stretched out on the bed to read about his new 'flower.' It was like something out of a chick flick….

Orphaned at 16, emancipated at 17 and out on her own a month later to work at establishing a life her own. College was as she said, amongst the top of her class, she had brains. Even the stints at the hospitals she talked about had given her unbelievable references, she seemed pretty legit. And then he opened the police section, and this is where it got interesting. She had filed restraining orders against a Michael Johnson in her second year of college, a guy who she had dated only once. He turned out to be an obsessive prick that stalked her the remainder of her college years and followed her while she was in the cities of Minnesota, multiple complaints of him showing up at her work place making grand gestures of 'romance.' She then transferred in a matter of days to a hospital in Chicago, no further reports filed for a year and a half and then they started again. This time only more intense, he was escorted out and spent several nights in jail on a couple of the complaints. Finally Arabella dropped off the map for a year and resurfaced in a traveling nursing agency that lead her to a FEMA agency that later responded to a hurricane in New Orleans. This time she was fine for a couple of years and did transition to critical care like she stated. All was well until the complaints started again, ending with him being in her home trying to keep her captive, a neighbor intervened and he was arrested, but she had fled town before charges were filed and the fucker got out, it has since been a year and she has been moving to different states to keep moving. Which means she is hiding, and is a runner; Happy was hoping this fucker would show up here because he had plans for Michael Johnson. Happy closed the file. He knew more about his flower and this made his protective streak even wider.

"Happy, let's go, you know Gemma is going to be pissed if we are not at the street fair today! It's her charity gig and you know how she gets!" Jax screamed through the door with a pound snapping Happy out of his train of thought.

Happy got off the bed and sauntered out after he locked up the file in his desk.

ARABELLA POV~

"There is a fair today on main street. Music, shops, and food." The hotel clerk offered a smile and her key to her room.

"Oh, thanks. That actually sounds like it may be kind of fun." She flashed her smile back and left to find her room.

Arabella found her room and immediately took a shower; she had been tired from her travels and than her interview and looked forward to relaxing. Once she was all cleaned up she dressed in her favorite white tunic with heavy beading at the trim, it could almost past for a mini dress, she wore it with a pair of white short shorts with her favorite gold sandals. Her tan and long hair made her feel gorgeous in this outfit and her confidence level shot up about ten bars when she wore it. She finished her makeup and with one last look in the mirror she put on her chap stick.

_Bring on the boys of Charming!_

Arabella smilled at the final thought and left for the street fair for some fun.

HAPPY POV~

_When will this day fucking end?_

Christ he just wanted to relax and read some more about Arabella. He looked up to scan the street and that was when he saw her. Now he was glad he did not just take off like he wanted too. She looked fucking amazing, like she was made for sex and sin and just looking for the right man.

_I'm right here baby, come to Happy._

He watched her walking down the street looking at the items; she even purchased a few trinkets from an antique shop. She browsed the clothing, but none of it was her style and she had style. The fucking outfit alone was making him want to throw her over his shoulder and take her back to his bed. A complete change from her suit appearance earlier, her hair had loose curls down to her nice tight ass and these curls needed to brush his body as he fucked her all night with his fingers tangled in it. Tan legs that begged to be wrapped around his body, and lush lips that needed to be kissed and often, everything about her screamed sex, and he planned to be the one that did it for her. Fucking wet dream.

Closer she wandered, and Happy backed to the back of the booth so he could watch her longer.

ARABELLA POV~

What cute little shops, she even found a couple of trinkets, the clothing was something else though, not her style. The music was fun, a local high school band who actually playing music that was popular and fun, she even thought about trying a corn dog she hadn't had one of those in years.

"Want a beer?" it was a Scottish accent and when she looked up he had a leather vest with a club logo on it.

"Sure, what you got?" she smiled politely.

"Bud products darlin' and some hard liquor over here if you're feelin' brave lass"

"Oh no, just a bud light please." She flashed that full blown smile that has had Happy's attention from the get go.

"$3.50 lass" Chibs said with a wink.

She paid her bill and walked on down admiring more of the booths. She didn't notice that Happy was standing in the corner of the booth watching her intensely as she made her purchase.

HAPPY POV~

Happy watched as Arabella looked around, what was she thinking about? She was always looking over her shoulder, scared to settle, shit he could make that go away. All she had to do was ask.

She was starting to get out of sight, and this did not sit well with him. Enough was enough, he curved around the booth and left.

"Where is he going?" Opie asked as he Chibs and Jax watched him walk off.

"Who knows why Happy does what he does half the time." Jax replied.

Happy continued to follow the street she went down, he got near a line of booths when he spotted her next to the flower stands smelling what had to be the largest white lily he had seen in his life along with some of the others in surrounding buckets. But her hand remained near the lily. She then walked off admiring more of the booths. Happy grabbed the lily and paid for it again following his own flower.

Imagine the killer and the flower.

She continued to wander towards the music and made her way onto the dance floor and started to dance to a cover of a Santana and Chad Kroeger's song. He stared in awe as she began to sway and move to the music and quickly he knew how easy it was for someone like Michael to obsess over someone such as her. She was like water on the dance floor and could lead a lot of thoughts to something erotic quick. She was oblivious to stares from the men and sneers from the women around her.

He approached closer. She danced with her eyes closed. Closer and closer yet he moved towards her. He shot the most menacing glare and subtle shake of his head he could at a college looking punk bitch that was also approaching her, it steered him off quickly in the other direction.

"Hello Ms. Flowers"

She was in mid twirl and landed right into his chest and arms that he quickly brought around her.

ARABELLE POV~

Her body was moving to the beat of the music and suddenly she stopped in mid twirl when she heard a familiar raspy voice and then felt a rock hard chest against her soft one. She looked up to see those piercing brown eyes looking right back into hers.

_Why does he have to be so intense?_

"Hello Mr. Lowman. So sorry to have ran into you, guess I was getting a little carried away."

A small smile tempted to creep out with just the corners of his lips starting to curl.

"Enjoying Charming?"

"It's charming..." she said with a hint of laughter in her voice.

Happy raised the flower for her to look at and placed his hand just so, so she would have to touch his to take it from him.

"Welcome to our town."

"Well Mr. Lowman, thank you." She took the flower and her fingers brushed his and that was when she felt his glide against her own.

_Did he just do that? No, not this man, no way!_

"Happy."

"I am thank you."

"No..." he gave a small laughter "they call me happy."

"Ohh, I see."

"Want a drink? Unless you are here with someone." He knew she wasn't but he wanted to see how she would answer.

"No, I am not here with anyone, and yes, I would like a drink." She started to walk off when she felt a steel grip circle her wrist and pull her back towards him and in the opposite direction.

HAPPY POV~

_No no my little flower, this way._

He pulled her with him towards a patio style set up and called a waitress over.

"Can I help you?" she said with an all-too-friendly smile.

"What would you like?" he asked looking at her like no one else was there.

"Uh, actually a Jeremiah Weed and Water with a twist of lemon please."

"Ok, and you sir" again she smiled hoping to catch his attention.

"Budweiser."

The waitress left clearly upset that he did not notice her.

"So since we are on nicknames, you can call me Ara."

He just sat and stared at her.

"Talkative aren't you?'

Happy gave an inward smile, alright, if she wants to talk, let's talk.

"Why are you here?

"The job."

"No Ara, why are you here?"

"Change of scenery."

"Arabella..." he drew out her name, like it would somehow make her tell him the truth.

With a sigh she looked him dead in the eye.

"Nothing that should concern you or affect my job, I wanted a new place with new people so here I am."

She clearly was not going to say why she was here. It's ok, Happy had nothing but time to figure out his flower. He gave a nod to her.

"Well how about we go to a safe topic. Why do they call you Happy, kind of ironic considering you never smile?"

"Club nickname, we all have them and they found that Happy was a good one for me." He looked into her eyes for a moment longer and said "My mother liked you today."

"Yeah?! She seems real nice. It is nice that you are taking care of her at this stage in her life, you two must be real close."

"Not really, we have had a different relationship than most, but she is my mom."

_Holy shit; did I really just tell her that?_

"That is too bad, I have been alone for a long time and it is nice to see a relationship like yours."

_I want you._

"We get along." They spent the next five minutes making idle chit chat about the town and his mother.

"Wow, look at the time. I didn't realize, I have to get back to my hotel room I am so tired after traveling." She stood up and he did so mirroring her.

"I will walk you."

"No that is ok."

"I'll walk you."

"Ok."

They walked in silence along the street admiring more of the booths and listening to music. He inched closer to her when he could. She made polite talk and laughed when she could. Her laugh was like an aphrodisiac, he wondered what noises she would make when he had her pinned underneath him. They reached the street of her hotel room and he walked her to her room on the second floor. And that is when she turned so sudden and he was merely scant inches from her face. He felt his heart pick up a couple of extra beats, god her smell alone drove him nuts.

ARABELLA POV~

"Oh, I'm so sorry; I did not realize you were right behind me."

Happy did not back up one inch, instead he stood there looking into her eyes and started to inch closer.

_Oh my god, he is going to kiss me. He is so strong and I haven't felt a mans kiss in so long. I can't though. I am going to take care of his mother, I like the town and I want to stay here while I figure things out. This can't be happening now!_

"We can't Happy, if we do this than I can't even consider taking care of your mother and I really want the job. This would guarantee that I can't take the job." She was panicked and looked at him to help her out of this situation.

HAPPY POV~

_FUCK! So close. _

Happy remained the scant inch from her face, willing her to close that gap and just stay with him. He could feel her breath on his lips; he wanted to taste those lips. Just a moment longer he stood there feeling her breathing, how easy it would be to just take her. And that is when he said it.

"Just once." It came out in a voice that he almost didn't hear himself.

Happy closed that inch to her face and took her mouth the only way a starved man for air could and she responded just as hungrily. He twisted his fingers in her soft curls and around her soft neck to pull her closer; tongues twisted and teased each other. The kiss deepened even more and he took the chance to use one hand to wrap around her waist and pull her even closer to the warmth of his own body. He felt her hands come up to take hold of his bicep than curl up to his chin and around his neck while the other snaked around his chest to his back to pull him just as close and he pulled her. After minutes of touching and kissing each other they rested their foreheads against each other, both out of breath. He let his hand on her waist fall to his side but held onto her neck and soft curls staring into the depths of her piercing hazel eyes.

"Night Ara." He turned letting the curl go through his fingers and walked away leaving Ara awe struck over what had just happened.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Here it is again :-) I do NOT own SOA or any of the characters, and this is simply a fanfiction of my imagination! Many apologies in the second chapter, I know you read some 'Isabellas' but half way through I went through a name change so I could call her Ara, sorry if you saw that! Any who 'HAPPY' reading.

**Chapter 3**

**Daily Routines**

It had been a couple of weeks since Ara had accepted the job and had moved in. And neither Ara nor Happy had brought up the kiss again. They fell into a routine; Happy stayed more at the clubhouse except for Wednesdays and one weekend a month, that was Ara's time off. Happy got a sitter for his mother, a day nurse. And he on occasion, maybe more than he wanted to admit, followed where she went.

HAPPY POV~

_Wednesday already, I wonder where she will be going today. She is already up now: she always gets Mom ready for the day before she goes anywhere. _

Ara had been right; his mom did in fact think she was the greatest thing ever. She thought the day started and ended with Ara. And he could hear them talking in the room next door. Since Ara had moved in as the live in nurse, Happy did stay at the clubhouse more, more so cause he always wanted to kiss her again. When he was home he liked being there, and just being in the same area as her. As time passed and they did get more comfortable with each other, he started staying home more and more, and this made his mother very happy.

"Goodbye Maria! I will be back tonight and I will help you get to bed ok?!"

He heard the soft reply of his mom, and he knew it was time and she was leaving for her day off, there was nothing going on at the clubhouse and he already told the guys that he was not going to be around today. They thought he was staying home to be with his mother, if they only knew.

He watched her get into her car; she had a denim skirt on with a blue plaid button up shirt and her hair was loose in curls again. He waited a few minutes as she took a right in her car and he followed her on his motorcycle. Today she went to the pier down at the shore. He parked his bike and walked down to the shore and took a seat on a boulder and watched where she was sitting on a blanket reading a book. He tensed when he saw this preppy fuck walk up to her spot and sit down, for five minutes they sat and talked and she was even laughing. It ended with her writing something on his god damn hand, and he had a feeling it was her phone number. The fucker got up with a smile and walked away gloating to all his friends whooping and hollering nearby, Ara went back to reading her book. After a few more minutes she quickly got up and started folding up her blanket and packing up her belongings. She quickly went to her car and got in when he noticed that the preppy fuck was making his way back towards her quickly walking. As she was driving away she rolled down her window and yelled out…

"Hey, if you ever want a girl to give you her number or go on a date with you ever again, I suggest you ditch the dick head attitude and act like a gentleman!"

She quickly sped off and he looked pissed that she had got away.

_What the fuck did he say to her?!_

Happy wanted to go over there and set the fucker straight but he did not want to let Ara to get too far out from his watchful eye. He started his bike up and went in the direction she went.

He caught up to her on the old highway where they had their first storage building that the club ran a gun operation out of. He pulled up to the side of the road, just in time to see her pull off her top and show off the amazing bikini top she had on and then switched out of her denim skirt into shorts and tennis shoes.

_Fuck this._

He pulled his bike off the side of the road and drove till he pulled up next to her car.

"Happy!" she had a huge smile on her face.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Well I have driven past this hill a couple of times and I decided that today I am going to hike it. What are you doing here?"

"Following you" he gave a smile that had her staring at his lips and eyes for more than a minute.

"I see, well you're here now, want to go for a hike with me? Unless your too bad ass to walk a hill with a chick?" She gave one of those heart stopping smiles that he loved to see, the smile that made him say things just to see this smile come out.

"Lead the way Ms. Flowers." Happy had a shit eating grin as he accepted her challenge.

"That is some interesting gear for hiking." She eyes his outfit from head to toe.

_Trying to get me to not come with you? Not going to work baby. _

"I'm sure I can keep up" his raspy voice let out giving the same head to toe once over glance as she gave him.

Ara gave a smile and turned towards the base of the hill.

ARA POV~

_Oh my goodness, Happy is actually going to do this; I am going to be alone with him. _

She had been unprepared for his accepting her challenge to go on a hike. She reached in the back of her car and pulled a back pack out, and pulled her hair into a messy bun on top of her head. She bent over to tie her shoes and that was when she noticed that he was staring at her movements, especially when she was bent over tying her shoes. She slowly straightened herself and gave a half smile.

_This was totally a bad idea._

She still thought of their kiss and often, but the hell she was going to admit it to this man. She started off towards the base of the hill, slinging the bag pack over her shoulders.

"Well Mr. Lowman, let's go exploring!" She gave the brightest smile she could conjure up while trying to remain confident looking.

HAPPY POV~

He watched her tits lift just right when she pulled her hair into the messy bun on top of her head, it only showed her perfect profile when she was done, and to see her bend over when she tied her shoe was more than he could stand.

_God damn, I just want to fuck you till you think of no one but me._

He began to follow her up the trail. Of course he was behind her; he followed her nice tight ass in those sexy shorts. He had to get his mind off of her so he started a random conversation that was safe for both of them.

"What did you do today?"

"Nothing to exciting, I went to the beach to read a book but that was interrupted so I decided to get out of town and hike this hill like I have been thinking about doing since I have heard about it."

"What interrupted you?" It bothered him that she talked to him like he was just another guy from any other situation.

"Nothing important, besides I'm pretty sure I handled the fool." She had an absent smile when she told him about it.

They continued to hike up the hill with the occasional 'how you doing', half way up, just when he noticed how the sweat started trickling down her back between her shoulder blades she spoke.

"Happy let's sit for a bit, we can rest and then we can keep going up to the top."

"Sure baby." It escaped before he could censor it, he could almost feel the wince that wanted to come out after he said it, but he refused, what did he have to apologize for? He wanted her and he had nothing but time. And he would get her.

ARA POV~

_Did he just call me baby? It didn't mean anything, I am sure he calls a lot of girl's 'baby'. _

To make matter worse he said it in that raspy voice that made her toes curl, one that made her very aware of every hair on her neck and gave a tingle down her spine.

She sat down and he sat only mere inches from her, of course he did, it was the only boulder in the area that they could both sit on comfortably. She shuffled through her bag pack and pulled out two bottles of water, she handed him one of the bottles.

"Happy?"

"Yeah princess?" he looked right at her with his deadpan stare.

"Why were you following me today?"

He sat for what seemed to be an eternity.

"I wanted to know what you did on your days off."

"Isn't that the point of a day off, to get away from those that you spend all your time with otherwise?" She looked him right back in the eyes, she could handle whatever he threw down.

"I wanted to know."

"Were you at the beach today?"

HAPPY POV~

_Fuck! No getting out of this one._

Happy found that he wanted to tell her the truth, he didn't want to lie to her, and this was new and very scary for him.

"If I said 'yes' what would you say?"

"Why?"

"I like being near you"

"That is not an answer Happy"

"I wanted to see you"

"You see me every day"

"I wanted to make sure you were safe"

"Why Happy? What could possibly happen to me on a beach?"

"You weren't alone there." He made it a statement.

He watched her look at the trees for a minute and a big exhale.

"I gave him the number to the local plumber." She smiled looked at his shoes.

She knew he saw the encounter between the two of them, curious he looked at her face and gave a small smile.

"Which one?"

She gave the smallest giggle and looked him in the eye.

"555-C-L-O-G, but he was so stupid I doubt he noticed, and I got out of there when I saw him look at the number and call it."

"Do you think about me at all?" He had a look of intensity sent straight into her eyes demanding the truth.

"Yes. Let's sit for a few more minutes, we are almost there."

They sat enjoying the sound of the wind and the swaying of the trees before she got up and started up the trail again.

"Do you even know where we are going? I ask because pretty sure we have been off the trail for about 20 minutes now." He asked as she was brushing past some bushes.

"You'll see…"

That was an all too convincing smirk that she gave to Happy.

As they hiked for a few more minutes the brush got thicker and the air almost seemed more humid. After a few seconds he heard Ara's breath suck in as they came to a halt.

They had reached a secluded hot spring.

A/N: Fluff chapter I know but wait till the next one, super nervous cause it gets pretty steamy! And like I said I have never done this before and I get super nervous about new things! But thank you for the awesome reviews I have gotten so far and please stick with me, I hope not to dissapoint!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I do not own SOA or any of the characters! So are you ready to see things heat up a little? Hope so, if you are sensative to any adult (as in 18 and older) readings, I suggest you stop following this story! I mean after 50 shades of Grey how can we all not know a few things right?! Happy reading! :-)

**Chapter 4**

**Springs and Hot Surprises**

HAPPY POV~

_Holy shit, I did not even know this was here in Charming, how did Ara know about it?_

He admired the spring and the surrounding rock formations and trees that surrounded the area. It was so secluded that he doubted many knew about this area.

"Ara, who told you this, was here?"

She gave the most devilish secret smile and shrugged her small shoulders.

"I might have heard about it from a local friend of mine."

Happy tensed at this, what 'friend' was she talking about and when did she have time to visit about it, Happy wanted to let his jealous side come out but then he remembered.

_She brought me here. Of all people she brought me here._

"Happy?"

"I'm right here honey."

ARA POV~

_This is it, you wanted this man, this is your chance, and don't be such a pussy. After this you will drop off of his radar, and let's face it….you've been to long without a male to pass this up!_

Ara decided at that moment that she was going to have sex with Happy Lowman. Judging by the way he treated her for the past couple of weeks after the earth shattering kiss, she would be easy to forget, he never brought up the kiss again after all. Why shouldn't she get her needs taken care of, and it has been awhile.

"I told you I had a surprise!" She gave a smile as she started to strip down to her two piece bikini.

Happy only stood there awestruck as she took off clothes and started to crawl into the hot spring.

HAPPY POV~

He watched her strip out of her clothing down to her two piece bikini that was a coral color with gold rings at the sides of her hips. She started to crawl into the spring by the rock basin and was giving him her come on smile.

Happy stripped down to his boxers and followed Ara into the spring wading to the side of the pool that she was sitting at.

Happy sat next to his smiling little flower with her honeyed skin and messy updo.

"Happy?"

"Yeah?" he looked into her hazel eyes, he felt so relaxed with the warm water all around him and her right beside him, it felt right.

"Do you ever think about our kiss when we first met?"

Happy leaned in and was a mere inch from her lips

"All the fucking time baby."

After looking into her eyes for another three seconds Happy closed the gap between them and once again he had her mouth against his, tongues twining and hands on each other. Ara moved her body until she was straddling him with her body. She moved her hands up his chest and around his neck and up to his head. Grabbing and pulling him closer to her and deepening the kiss.  
_This woman could fucking kiss a man senseless, what else is my little flower capable of? _

Happy's tongue gave back every stroke hers made, sucked her lips just like she did his. His hands started on her thighs the minute she straddled him and worked their way up to her hips where he gave a squeeze. He used his right arm to go across her back to her left shoulder to pull her down harder into his lap and used the other around her waist to pull her into his groin and chest as she moved her hips in a slow grind that enflamed him further.

Her small elbows rested on his shoulders and she rested her hands on his bald head as she kissed him and rolled her hips in a circular motion to match his grind and that was when Happy let a groan escape.

She pulled back and looked into his eyes.

"Better than the last kiss?"

"Oh yeah." Happy pulled her back into another kiss.

She moved her hands from his head, down his chest and around to his back massaging muscles as she moved them around his upper body. One hand moved lower down his chest and lower yet to his groin.

She began massaging his length with her fragile fingers and moved her body up and down his chest with her strokes; she could not go too far with his arms holding her to him.

Happy did the only thing left for him; he removed his right arm and went down her chest and between her legs. He started to play with the band of her swimsuit with the tips of his fingers and then moved the side of her suit where he could stroke her softness. He felt the sweetest groan come from her and onto his lips when he started to stroke ever so gently. She clearly liked what he was doing so he slowly and gently inserted one finger into her sheath finding her wet and so warm. Ara let out the sweetest gasp and returned to her kiss of his lips.

Happy twirled his finger in a slow circular motion to match the one her fragile fingers did on him, and after a minute he inserted a second finger. He started the same movement again and Ara continued stroke him and to move her hips to meet his fingers movements as well. She felt so fucking tight; he could not wait to be inside her.

Happy used his other hand to untie the straps to the top of her bikini and gently pulled it from her. He broke off the kiss to look at her chest that was bare before him; she had lush breasts with nipples that ached to be sucked. He went back to kissing her mouth again and used his hand to pull her hair to make her head lean back, his mouth trailed down her slim neck and made its way to her chest and moved lower yet to her budding nipple. Happy sucked and licked and rolled her nipple between his lips and teeth and slowly worked his way to the other to repeat the same actions on her other breast. He kept the slow circling of his fingers in her sheath constant adding a little more pressure and he felt her respond with another groan and a harder grinding of her hips. Her hands had both moved to the top of his shoulders so she could ride his hand harder.

She was losing herself in the moment and she did not notice when Happy shifted and pulled his boxers off, she was holding onto his shoulders like she was never going to let him go. He undid the clasps on the rings of her bikini bottom and heard her moan and gasp again as he moved his fingers with purpose and slid away the bikini bottom.

_So fucking close to having you._

"Ara, baby I need you to look at me." He said in a raspy voice, her hazel eyes opened glistening with pleasure.

He looked at her for a second before he took his arms and wrapped them slowly around her back again and pulled her down in a slow motion just in time with his thrust in an upward motion, not giving her a chance to change her mind, he started filling her sheath with his own body. Her eyes widened in surprise, as he bucked with his hips to push farther into her, she gave a small wince of discomfort and he stopped to allow her small tight sheath a chance to adjust to his size and invasion. He started to kiss her soft lips again and when she was kissing him back he started to pull her down once again. He did this twice more, the push and wait, before he felt the tip of her cervix. He pulled back from their kiss and looked into her eyes for a long moment not believing it was happening, how before this it was just a senseless self relieving act but to now have this type of connection with another.

"Ara…" her name came out in a whisper, it was all he could say, hoping she could see what this meant to him without actually saying it. She wasn't another croweater or sweet butt. And judging by her tightness she was not with a lot of men either. He continued to gaze into her eyes.

"Happy…" she looked back at him with the same kind of wonder.

"I…" he stopped; he couldn't even think what to say to her.

"Shhh, let's just enjoy this." With that she started to move her body up and down his shaft squeezing with her soft muscles as she moved. Happy's head lolled back and he groaned at the sensation. Knowing this would never be enough, that he would never get enough of her. His hands fell to her sides and his fingers dug into her hips as he followed her movements up and down.

_I need more. More of her touches, more of her screams, she needs to scream my name and know it's me that possessed her, the one that will keep her. _

Happy stood up and wrapped her legs around his waist; he turned her towards the rock basin so he could push into her with his full force. With one thought in his head, possess Arabella. She let out the most mind numbing scream as she gripped his shoulders and accepted his thrusts. He tangled his hands in her hair with the messy updo wishing her hair was down and started to kiss her neck and shoulder as he continued to piston into her hot sheath that only welcomed his every move.

"I'm…I'm coming! Happy!" Her soft body gripped and released his and she went limp under him.

Happy gave two more hard thrusts and then leaned his head back and yelled with his own hot release. He allowed his body to rest on her small frame as he gasped for breath against the skin of her neck.

"Jesus Christ Ara, that was unbelievable!"

He used his arms to lift his upper body off of her and looked at her. She had her eyes closed and was breathing heavily.

"Jesus Happy, I can't move! That was perfect, exactly what I needed."

Happy moved his hands over her neck and her chest once more. He kissed her neck with little kisses leading a trail up to her jaw line till he reached her soft lips and once again took them into a kiss.

They lay for a moment longer and Happy pulled them back into the water. He sat in total bliss until he noticed that Ara was not looking at him or talking at all for that matter. She was looking at anything BUT him.

"Ara?" She refused to meet his gaze.

Suddenly she got out of the spring and dashed to her clothes and started to put on her bikini followed by her clothes.

_Fuck. This is not how this was supposed to go. _

He got up and followed her steps out of the spring to his pile of clothes.

"Ara, you need to talk to me." When she did not answer him again he pulled his jeans up and waited for her to finish pulling on her top over her bikini and took her by her arm and spun her around.

"Arabella, what is wrong?"

"Happy, I think this was big mistake…" she turned and started walking down the trail back to her car.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Here is the disclaimer, I do not own Sons of Anarchy or any of the awesome characters that this show has produced. This is all a fictitious part of my imagination! What did you think of the last chapter? I liked it, and it was most definitely a lot of fun writting about. Happy reading!

**Chapter 5**

**You can't hide from me**

ARA POV~

_What the fuck was I thinking? I put my own needs above those of my patient. What the fuck was I thinking? What if HE comes back, he always comes back. Should of fucking know better than to have done something like this!_

Ara repeated these thoughts like a mantra while she started walking down the trail, she was hating herself for possibly ruining one of the best moves she had made in awhile. She didn't hear Happy behind her and assumed she was alone and that was when she started to talk to herself.

"Stupid Ara, really fucking stupid! You can't get attached; it all falls to shit when you do this to yourself! FUCK! What the hell was I thinking? He always finds you! Stupid!" She wrapped her arms around her chest as she was walking on the verge of tears.

"You know you shouldn't talk to yourself."

Ara quickly spun around to find Happy was directly behind her holding her backpack she had left behind, he was a mere foot from where she was standing and had not known he was even behind her. And with that knowledge came the frightening thought…how much did he just hear?

With her cool assessing gaze and her never being afraid to face the consequences she looked him in the eyes and asked "What did you just hear?"

"Who is _HE_?" He looked at her with the same gaze she was giving him, not afraid to match her toe to toe.

"No one." She spun around and started to walk away.

"Oh no baby, you aren't walking away from this. You started this now you are going to finish this." He grabbed her and backed her into the base of a tall Redwood tree and put his arms by her sides and grabbed the tree locking her into place so she could no longer run.

"Baby, you are going to start talking, who is he and why is _HE _looking for you?"

HAPPY POV~

He already knew the answer, the pussy was a stalker and obsessed with her, but he wanted her to tell him, to want him to know, to ask for his help not that she had too it was already hers.

"It's none of your concern." She kept averting his eyes; she wasn't going to crack under pressure she had built a tough exterior over time when it came to the asshole, it wasn't right; no woman should have to do this.

"You couldn't be more wrong Ara, you are in my home, you are taking care of my mother, and you just shared your body with me. You are mine now and it very much fucking concerns me. And I don't share, now start fucking talking Ara." He enunciated each word of the last sentence with malice to intimidate her into talking.

He stared into her hazel eyes with intent letting her know she wasn't getting away. But still she wouldn't talk. She definitely had guts and was not new to intimidation. Tough bitch, he wanted to smile at the thought. Time to play unfair, Happy never said he was fair fighter to begin with.

"_Michael_ is not going to find you. I promise you are safe but you have to talk to me baby."

Her eyes widened when he said the name and he knew she finally understood that Happy knew way more than she had ever wanted him too.

ARA POV~

"You son of a bitch, how long have you known about him?!" Her jaw clinched in anger.

"Since the beginning I have known baby. Did you really think I was not going to do my homework?" He moved his face scant inches from her face smelling her sweet breath that had a hint of him mixed in with it.

"Well why don't you give yourself a fucking pat on the back Happy, you have invaded my privacy. Now let me go!"

"No."

"You know everything already, why make me rehash all the shit, now you're just being a prick." Her eyes glinted with defiance.

"Never said I wasn't, and I am an even bigger prick when it comes to something of mine and baby _you-are-mine._" He gave a smirk, and when it was mixed with the ending of that sentence it sent a tingle of fear down her spine and caused her heart rate to double, but in anger or fear.

_Now I am going to lash out! Who the fuck does he think he is? _

"Now listen to me you fucking asshole. Don't you presume to have ownership over me because of what just happened! I have never 'belonged' to anyone, will never belong to anyone, and most definitely will _NEVER_ belong to you!" With the final lash she did a self defense move that knocked his hands down and she spun around removing herself from the situation and started to walk down the trail again.

"Don't walk away from me Ara…" and that is when Happy did something he has never done with anyone else "…please Ara."

_He is a hard man, one who clearly never asks for help and most definitely never begs, yet he said please._

Ara's feet stopped moving even though her brain was screaming run and Happy seized on that small surrender.

"Baby, you have seen what I am like. You know I don't beg, I take what I want, but you are not like anything else I have ever had to contend with. You are in danger, I know you are, and I never expected to have what you gave me at the spring, that really changes things baby. You have to understand."

_God damn him._

Ara had stopped walking and she was listening to every word he was saying, she wanted to run but something was pulling her to stay and listen to what he had to stay.

HAPPY POV~

_She stopped, and she is listening, make it count._

It was like a mantra, except she was on the line, his fragile flower was on the verge of flight. Happy always got what he wanted, by hard labor or by force, and he wanted her. He took a tentative breathe and moved a foot closer.

"Do you think I would do this for anyone?" Another step closer, keeping his end game in mind, Ara and Happy together.

Still she didn't move. So he continued.

"Do you think I would fight for any woman, yet here I am begging you to give me the time of day Ara?!" Another step closer, he could almost feel her in his arms.

"Happy..."

"No! Don't talk Ara, now you listen. You came into my home. I like you a lot, and I want to try and get to know you better. I want you to want to try and be with me. You have no idea what I can do for you. But you need to want to try and get to know me too. Can you do that? Try for me, for us?"

"I don't know Happy. This is so sudden, and I didn't plan on going past the sex…" Ara looked at her feet guiltily. This got a smile out of Happy.

"So you planned to use me and leave me?"

"Well it sounds terrible when you put it that way."

Happy didn't like it either, if this how the girls felt when he did this to them, well frankly it sucked. He took a tentative step towards her again.

"What do you think Ara, can we try this. I'm not saying I am perfect and I will fuck up here and there, but I want to try, please say you want to too."

Ara shuffled her feet and looked at the ground and her head shot up and he could see the determination in her eyes.

ARA POV~

_It would be so nice to not have to run anymore. To get to stay somewhere longer than a couple of months and try out a real relationship. What would it be like to be loved, to be loved by this man?_

With the last thought Ara lifted her head and knew the answer.

"Yes…"

Happy looked elated at that one little word "Yes?!"

"Yes Happy, I will try with you."

Happy closed the gap and lifted her small frame into his arms and kissed her. Ara was nervous about this, Michael wasn't going to go anywhere anytime soon and he would find her, he always did. But she was going to be selfish for once in her life and take something for her, do something for her. And this also exhilarated her. This man wanted her and he was not a man to take or keep a woman, but he had chosen her. She responded to his kiss with her own passion as well and embraced him just a tight as he was her.

"Let's go home."

"We are still sleeping in separate beds at night Happy."

"Oh no we are not, I have you now, you really think I am going to let sleep without me?"

"Happy women need some things private…" he cut her off mid sentence

"You can't hide from me anymore Ara."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I do not own SOA or the characters, these are just thoughts that have occured in my head using one character in specific :-) BUT I do not own anything! Happy reading!

**Chapter 6**

**Knowing you know me**

The first week Ara did fight sleeping in the same room; Happy resolved this by having her bed removed from the house on her day off two days later. She was not happy about it but it was the first night Happy had spent the night with Ara in his bed and arms and did not have to look in on her throughout the night. Ara got her revenge by decorating their room her way; his usual black sheets and club flags and pictures of playmates and women on bikes were replaced by warm Moroccan style bedding and the art pieces she had in her room, she even rearranged the furniture to meet both of their needs. And added…a wax warmer, might as well have been potpourri, their room now smelt of "Midnight pomegranate" as she said. It took him a little time but he got over it, she was in his room and that was all that mattered.

At night, that was the best part; Happy would come home and have dinner with his mom and Ara, they had been getting to know each other more and more over the past couple of weeks. He would leave in the morning to work at Teller-Morrow and she would continue to take care of his mother throughout the day. It was at night after Maria had gone to bed did they spend time together, they talked about everything, well almost everything, Happy left out all things club except for working at the shop. He wanted to tell her everything, and it was getting harder and harder. He made love to her as often as he could, and it was often, he came inside her body every chance that he could, he knew every curve, every sweet spot that made her gasp and grab his shoulders. Then they would spend the rest of the night in whispers talking about their childhoods and growing up.

Ara told him about her childhood, losing her family, growing up in the system, becoming a nurse. Her one best friend in New Orleans that helped her to escape over and over again, some chick named Bree. And she even broke down and told him about Michael one night, Happy's arms just held her tighter as she started the horrible tale. How one date had started it all, the running, the hiding, the fear she felt every day until now, how she felt safe for once and was able to sleep all night without fear because of him.

Happy returned in kind, he told her about growing up with Maria, his father bailing when he was young, his first ride, his first bike, joining the club, finding out about the cancer and seeing her for the first time. And he wanted to tell her about the not so good things he did, the hits, the shootings, the stealing, and the torture.

HAPPY POV~

"Happy you awake?" she turned her head on his shoulder one night to see if she could see his eyes in the dark.

"Yeah baby, you're not asleep yet and you're tense. What is wrong?"

"I have been getting that feeling again…he's going to show up soon."

Happy's arms tensed when she revealed this information. Thunder and lightning cracked outside their window, it mimicked what he was feeling inside, turbulent. He wanted to do damage. He took one calming breath in and let it out.

"Explain it to me baby."

"It always comes, this feeling. I feel unsettled; it is usually a short time later that he will make himself known." A loud rattle of thunder and lightning went off again and the lights in the house went out. Ara shot up and felt for Happy's arm.

"Its ok baby, it's just the storm." He got up and used his cell phone as a flashlight. I am going to check on my mom." He left the room and found a flashlight in the kitchen and went around the house checking windows and doors to ensure the house was locked down, Ara felt unsafe and she was not going to get hurt on his watch. His mom was sleeping well and he placed a candle on her night stand for a little light.

Happy walked back to his room, and the site that greeted him made his breath catch in his lungs, Ara had candles lit around the room that gave it a warm glow and she was laying in the center of the bed rolling a small bottle in her hands and the teddy she had on was amazing in how it clung to her perfect breasts and bounced off her perfect skin tone.

"Hi." She gave him a heart stopping smile.

"Hi." He smiled back.

"Happy come here and lay down on your stomach."

Happy moved closer and took off all of his clothes and lay on his stomach on the bed. He felt her hands start a massage and the oil started to warm between his skin and her fingers.

_My own personal angel... _

"Baby that feels really nice."

"Good. I just wanted to say thank you for these past couple of weeks Happy, they have been so wonderful. I have felt so safe with you here and your mother has been wonderful. My time here really has been great."

_Why does she sound like she is saying goodbye?_

Happy rolled over and grabbed her and continued the roll till she was beneath him.

"Why do I get the feeling that you are telling me goodbye?"

"Happy this has been so wonderful."

Happy crushed her lips with his, taking control of the situation; she was not going to do this now. He ran his hands over her soft body; her hands roamed his body as well. Happy pulled her underwear from her body tearing the flimsy material and firmly wedged his body between her legs.

"Ara, stay with me."

"I'm here now Happy."

"You know what I mean…" he began to move and press his head against her soft entrance. But once he felt her softness he groaned like a man lost and plunged into her to the hilt. His hands moved to her hair and his fingers laced into the strands of silk at the base of her head. He never had control when it came to her and all this softness.

He started building the sensation slowly while staring into her eyes and picked up the pace after her eyes got the sheen of pleasure and moved till his body was like a piston in and out of her and she was moaning and saying his name over and over holding on to his upper arms. He felt her inner muscles spasm and she went limp after calling out his name. Happy gave three more thrusts and shoved his head back feeling his own release causing him to go limp over the top of her as well.

"Ah fuck baby. Don't leave me, just stay with me."

"Sleep Happy." She sounded like she was drifting off herself. Happy was content and allowed himself to drift off to a heavy sleep as well, life was good.

"It's comforting…"

"What is Happy?"

"Knowing you know me…" he missed her puzzled look but before she could ask further questions Happy drifted off with the smell of her lips and skin on his own body.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Here is the disclaimer, I do not own Sons of Anarchy or any of the awesome characters that this show has produced. This is all a fictitious part of my imagination!Happy reading!

**Chapter 7**

**Brothers and garbage cans**

Happy woke with the harsh knock, more like pounding, on the door.

"Baby, what time is it?" she did not answer. He moved his arm to her side and felt…nothing. He shot up in the bed and seen that her side of the bed was empty. He crawled out of the bed and the pounding on the door continued to assault his mood.

"I fucking hear you! Just a god damn minute!"

He padded down the hallway and answered the door, it was Jax.

"What the fuck man! We have been wondering where the hell you have been!"

"What time is it?"

"10:00, you alright?"  
"Yeah, storm knocked out the power, must of cut off my alarm clock. Let me get dressed." Happy opened the door more so he could let Jax come into the house.

_Where the hell is Ara?_

He continued to wander through the house and walked into his mothers room, she was dressed and reading in her favorite chair.  
"Hey ma, where is Ara?"

"She is gone my boy." She put her book in her lap and looked at Happy who had a glint of speculation and dumb founded belief in his eyes.

"Gone? Gone where?"

"She left son, she had urgent business back home. Said it was a real family emergency. Do you know where she is from; I thought she had no family?"

Happy rushed out of his mom's room and back into theirs, and that was when he saw the note with his name on it. His stomach turned into one hard knot, and with shaking fingers he opened the letter. He looked at it for one second and crumpled it up and threw it on the floor.

Happy kicked the closet door and started to scream as he threw shit around the room and punched a hole in the wall, he had wrecked their once peaceful room. Jax ran in to see what was happening…

"What the fuck bro! You're scaring your ma and frankly you are scaring the shit out of me! What the hell is your problem?!" Jax came into the room a little further.

Happy sat on the bed and his shoulders slumped. "She's gone."

"Who the live in nurse? Fuck, don't tell me you weren't tapping that Hap!?"

"Yeah…yeah I was."

"Happy you gotta be kidding me!" Jax left the room and was flipping open the phone to call the club house. Happy just kept staring at the crumpled paper in the middle of the mess and bent over to pick it up opening it once more. His eyes looked down and started to read

Happy-

I am so sorry to leave this way, forgive me.

Ara

_No, she is not going to do this to me, we made a bargain, she was going to try. She was starting to fall in love with me, I know it. Fuck! I was starting to fall in love with her. _

Happy couldn't talk himself out or down from this one, starting to fall in love with her? He was so fucking head over heels for her! And with that last revelation he made up his mind, he was going after her.

"You gotta talk to me bro! We can't help you if you won't talk."

"Outside."

Happy and Jax both had beers and went to the back yard and sat down in the renovated patio area that Ara had done for his mothers comfort, flowers were everywhere and they sat on the back patio couch she and Happy spent one weekend reupholstering. That was a great weekend, how she got him to help upholster let alone plant flowers, he didn't know. Just than Jax lit up a cigarette and offered one to Happy snapping him out of his happy thought, he shook his head no, truly revealing his state of chaotic mind of pain and loss.

"This place looks great bro." Jax scanned the back yard and took a puff of smoke and swig of beer.

"Ara did it."

_With me, we did it; we worked on our home to make it this way. _

"What happened bro?" Once again he snapped Happy out of his thoughts of Ara.

"I started getting serious with her about three weeks ago; I had been following her long before that, when she first came here. She's here because she is running from some obsessive prick and she was worried that he was going to find her again. He has been stalking her for the past eight years or so, I told her she wasn't going to run anymore and we started fucking each other. I hadn't planned on…" he looked at his bottle and swigged it back and looked at the yard.

"Holy fuck, the Tacoma Killer found himself a lady." There was no jibbing or sarcastic tone just utter disbelief. "What do you want to do bro; the club is here you know that."

"I have to find her. I need her, she makes me so fucking complete, and I can talk to her, I haven't told her everything yet but I want to." Happy stood up and started to pace the sidewalk by the porch all of the sudden kicking the garbage can littering its contents across the walk way. Happy was about to walk away when something caught the corner of his eye. He kicked through some of the garbage around it and picked up the item, studying and opening its contents. After a few moments he had a smile on his face and stood putting the package in his pocket.

_She belongs here, and I am going to go get her!_

"What do you want to do bro?" Jax was pulling off of his cigarette and looked at Happy once more.

"I'm going to go find her and bring her back here. She isn't safe out there and she is going to be my old lady. I want her back."

Jax had the look of disbelief and stood up. "Alright, meet you at the club in an hour, already called the boys. Get your mom squared away and we will meet at church." Jax gave Happy a hug and turned and left.

Happy was back in their room cleaning and putting the room back into order. He would have to have the closet door replaced and wall repaired and painted while he was gone. He sat down and made a list and put it into his pocket, he would have to have one of the prospects take care of it while he was away. He looked in the mirror noticing that she took the picture of them in the backyard laughing and covered in mud, he gave himself a smirk, she didn't want to leave him, but he knew now she felt this was the only way. He knew what had to be done.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: How you all liking the story so far? I love fanfiction cause this is when you can make these characters the way you see them and want them to be. Well, I hope you all are still with me, with that being said here is the normal disclaimer: I DO NOT own SOA or any of the characters, this is simply a fictitious story of my mind! Happy reading! :-)

**Chapter 8**

**Church**

Everyone was sitting at the table and Happy sat with a death glare looking at the center of the table where the elaborate reaper carving was. Jax looked up and started the meeting.

"We got a problem with a brother that needs our immediate attention." Jax looked around the table and met each one in the eye till he got to Happy.

Happy shook his head and Jax continued.

"Our boy Happy has lost his little flower and we have to go find her, she is in danger and she thought that she could protect Happy and his mom by leaving."

All the guys looked at Happy.

"Aye boy, what do you mean 'your little flower'? Like you are tapping that sweet little thing taking care of your ma?" Chibs had one hand propped on his chin looking at Happy.

Jax was whispering into Juices ear and he was madly typing into the computer in front of his face with the occasional look up at the guys at the table.

Happy could only look at Chibs and give a small nod.

"Sweet Jesus Happy never would have thought." Chibs rested his hands twined together on the edge of the table and looked at them.

The guys all started talking to each other, unbelieving that Happy had found a lady that he wanted to keep for him. The talking just got louder and louder till it was disorganized chatter. Clay tired of all the gossip like little old ladies at the grocery store pounded his gavel…

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" when the silence followed Clay continued. "Is she what you want brother?"

All eyes shifted to Happy.

"I want her back, she is it." There was no wait and no question, Happy had chosen.

"Then it's settled, we go find Happy's flower and bring her back home to Charming. Juice what you got?"

"Does she have any family?" Juice looked up from his swift furious typing waiting for an answer.

"No."

"Anywhere you can think of that she would want to go back?"

"Maybe New Orleans, she had a friend down there...a Bea, Beth, something with a B."

"Bree? Bree Connors?"

"I think so. I'm not too sure actually, she only mentioned the first name once awhile back."

"It's here in her file, Bree helped her run a couple of times, she actually has a note on her file that says she used excessive force defending her home and Arabella from one Michael Johnson." Juice kept reading the screen.

Happy face shot up, "that's the fucker who is stalking her, what did this Bree do?"

"Well turns out Bree clocked him with a Louisville slugger after he forced his way into her apartment looking for Arabella, broke his nose, dislocated his shoulder and broke three ribs. Then she hog tied his ass and called the cops, Arabella was gone before cops even got there; this Bree gave her money to run and refused to help the cops find her. Said they couldn't be trusted. She fucked him up good though, but he bailed before charges could be filed and she never went to court or anything!" Juice was smiling and shaking his head like it was some great scene out of a movie.

"Tough bitch, I want to meet her." It was Tig across the table.

"How are club funds looking for a trip?" Clay looked at Bobbie.

"Well we could run some of the new stock down to another SOA charter in New Orleans while doing a charity run for cancer as well. Funds are plenty. We can swing it." Bobbie was flipping through a book in front of him.

"How are we sitting with authority?"

"Club has no eyes on them, no problems I can foresee." Juice kept typing on his computer.

"What about the Oakland run?" Opie mentioned from the side.

"We can bring the Nomads in for that; I will be going with my brother." It was Jax making the declaration; the others pounded the table in agreement. Happy shook his head in appreciation.

"Well boys looks like we are going to New Orleans!" Clay banged the gavel and they all got up to make plans to head out in the morning.

The next day all the guys were sitting in the parking lot packing their bikes and ready to make the 2,000 mile ride on a hunch that Happy prayed was right. Happy saw one of the prospects and hollered at him to come over; he pulled out the list form his pocket.

"Need this shit done while I am gone, and you and only you see this!"

The prospect read the list and when he got to the bottom his head shot up and looked at Happy.

"Not a fucking word to anyone, you fuck this up and I WILL kill you in your sleep and you'll never make patch, hear me?!" The prospect could only shake his head in agreement and ran off to start his list. Happy continued to pack his bike to leave.

Juice came running out of the club "HAPPY!"

"What?"

"Just got into a bus stations security camera, a woman fitting Ara's description bought a one way ticket to New Orleans, the bus departed yesterday at 6AM and is scheduled to arrive sometime this evening!"

Happy shook his head in appreciation and the group fired up their bikes and pulled out of SOA property now knowing that where they were going was in fact the right place and Happy was officially on the hunt for a flower lost in the wind with his brothers behind him.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: So the bad boys are off to New Orleans! What awaits them there I wonder?! Disclaimer: I do not own SOA or any of the characters, to think so would be wrong! Happy reading!

**Chapter 9**

**The Encounter**

It had been a hard two day ride but the Sons had finally reached New Orleans, they pulled into a fellow charter just on the outskirts of town. They were greeted and already the talks of a party was in place. Happy had no desire to party, he just wanted to find Ara and get home. Two days she had been without him and it still didn't sit well in his stomach. He had gone between anger, worry, and back to anger throughout the ride. And when on the road that is all one had to do, think.

Happy moved into one of the guest rooms of the club house threw his bag down and opened up the file again that Juice had made for him about Ara. He stared at a picture of her from a second sighting in Texas at a gas station while en route to New Orleans, Juice had indeed stayed on her trail. All of a sudden there was a pound on the door, he opened it and it was Juice with the biggest grin on his face.

"First you have to say 'Juice you are a genius'"

"What the fuck do you want bro?"

"I got a picture of her leaving the bus station with a woman at 7pm last evening, when I ran the plate number it came across as beloning to one Bree Connors. She charged a hotel room an hour later to her credit card but has yet to check in. I have the information on the car, Bree's address, as well as the address with room number to the hotel right here." He waved the paper in front of Happy's face.

Happy had to admit, having someone like Juice was definitely beneficial, he did not dissapoint and he delivered when he could. Happy grabbed his jacket and vest and started to walk out of the club clearly intent on going to the hotel.

"Hey man, you can't leave tonight" Juice stood in front of him and was looking at him in disbelief "Orleans charter bash is starting and we all have to make an appearance, Pres orders man, sorry. Besides, I already sent a tail a half an hour ago.

"Thanks." It would have to placate him for now but it wouldn't for long before Happy would go himself.

HAPPY POV~

Happy walked back to the guest room and put his jacket down and slipped into his vest and headed out to where the rest of the group was, the party was already getting into full swing. A dark haired crow eater came up to him and started to hang around his neck and kissing his chin.

Happy pulled her face with his fingers till her gaze looked into his "Get the fuck off of me right now."

The crow eater had a look of fear and quickly moved away and onto the next member.

"Bro, I know you want to go find your lady but your scaring all of the hot tail. Come on lossen up a bit we just rode 2,000 miles lets have some fun!" It was Tig and he had already had two ladies under his arms, typical Tig.

Juice came up with a smile.

_Have something good for me Juice, you haven't disappointed yet._

"Sup bro?!" he had his usual goofy grin as usual. Grabbed a beer and took a drink.

"Nothing, what's up?" Happy took a shot of tequila.

"Got a call." Happy's head shot up and Juice had his full blown attention "Found your girl but she ain't at the hotel."

"Where?" Happy's body turned fully towards Juice. "Start talking."

"She is at Bree's house, my tail just called 5 minutes ago, when she wasn't there he went to the house. He is sitting outside now, they are sitting on the deck and…"

"What?!" Juice had the audacity to look like he wasn't going to say anything and stared at his feet, Happy grabbed the top of his shirt in both fists to make him look back at him "What?!"

"She is crying man." Juice knew what this would do, Happy didn't like it when chicks got emotional, especially when they cried. Happy's jaw clenched.

"I'm leaving…now." Happy turned to leave.

"Yeah about that, Pres says I gotta go with you."

"Let's go." Juice had a look of shock that he had agreed so easily but quickly followed him out the door.

The ride over to the house was quick and they pulled up to another bike that had the familiar reaper logo and a big burly man who had a look of 'don't fuck with me.'

"Name's Bud, your ladies just went inside. I think they might be getting ready to leave." A flick of the garage light came on and a car pulled out with one person in it, Happy's gut told him that this was Ara, his flower.

"Bud stay here and make sure that this gal is ok."

He gave a curt short nod "Got it."

Both Juice and Happy followed the black Dodge Charger SRT8 down the road, when they pulled up to the hotel, Happy's chest tightened when Ara climbed out and than went to the back of the car and pulled out her bag She pulled a black hoodie up and over her hair to hide her face and hair. It was big and baggy and he couldn't make out her shape very well, smart girl. Happy crawled off his bike and went down the small hill that they pulled on and Juice was right behind him.

"Stay here Juice." Juice gave a nod and sat down beside the decorative shrub and watched as Happy started to follow Ara around the side of the building. Once they turned the corner she started to climb a flight of side stairs to the third floor, his foot falls were silent as he climbed up behind her. She made it to the the third floor and started to walk down the aisle when she reached room 308, she placed the keys in the lock and started to open the door, she was half way across the threshhold when a large hand went over her mouth and the other pulled her back into a hard chest and brought her all the way into the room. The door was kicked shut with a heavy thud and he spun her around to face him and pushed her gently back against the wall.

"You ran." He whispered into her ear. His hand settled on her soft neck and his fingers could feel her frantic pulse. He gave a gentle stroke across the soft skin.

He flicked on the light switch beside her and pulled her hoodie down and within seconds they were staring eye to eye.

"Jesus Happy, you scared the shit out of me! What the hell are you doing here?" her small hands rested on his forearm and she let out a breath. She looked tired and scared. Her usual makeup was not even on, she did not look like his Ara but a haunted shell.

"You left. Did you really think I was not going to come find you. You made me a promise and you broke it." His eyes glinted. "I have been going between anger to worry for 2000 miles baby, now you are going to answer every question I ask. Why did you leave?"

"I freaked Happy, running is what I do, so I guess I went back to what was familiar." She kept staring in his eyes.

_She smells so good, god she feels so soft. _

Happy didn't want to admit it but he was softening, he could forgive her for almost anything. But he couldn't let go that she had run right now. He looked her in the eyes again and moved a scant inch from her face and his body closer to hers.

"I told you not to run that I could keep you safe , but you ignored what I said and ran anyways, and you took something of mine with you as well."

Ara's face became set and her eyes narrowed with a hint of confusion "I didn't take anything from you."

"Are you sure that's the story you want to stick with?!" he moved closer till their noses were touching and his chest was pressed against hers.

Ara continued to look him in the eye "I didn't take anything that belonged to you." It was than out of the corner of her eye she saw him holding something in his hand close to their faces and as she turned her head to look at it she sucked in her breath.

ARA POV~

_Oh shit…_

In his hand was a white stick with a purple cap with the unmistakable letters…E…P…T and in the center of the window was the plus sign. She had to give him credit, she didn't think he would find it let alone know what it was.

_Shit, shit, shit…_

"Where did you get that?" her voice quaked a little finally showing to Happy that she was nervous.

"In the garbage can that I kicked over when you left." Happy conitnued to hold the stick for both to see. "So you sure you want to stick with your story baby, cause what I'm holding in my hand..." he moved his other hand between them to rest over her belly "is telling me you did take off with something of mine."


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Looks like things have gotten interesting! Disclaimer time! I do not own SOA or any of the affiliates or characters. Happy reading!

**Chapter 10**

**Arguments and baseball bats**

Happy continued to stare into peircing hazel eyes, and his hand remained on her soft belly where their child was safe and warm and growing. His resolve was iron clad and complete, he was not going to leave here without either of them and in his favor you couldn't take one without the other. Once he got her home there was only one other detail to take care of, Michael Johnson, and he would find him and deal with him the only way he liked to deal with problems.

"Happy" she was starting to talk again when he cut her off.

"Your coming home."

"I wasn't keeping it from you, I just found out."

"Were you going to tell me or take my baby and run?"

"Yes! I mean no! Maybe, I don't know."

"Don't even unpack, we are leaving now." He clenched his jaw.

"Happy please, I'm tired and I'm scared. I just want to sleep for awhile." Her eyes had that pleading look in them with a rim of tear and with that last look of defeat Happy folded.

"Fine, but I'm staying here with you till you are on a plane back to Charming." He moved away from her and sat on the bed and began to remove his shoes and his vest. She moved from the wall and to her bag on the floor, removed some clothing and went into the bathroom to be lost in her thoughts. She started to fill the tub with hot water. Allowing the steam to envelop the room and her in it.

ARA POV~

_Pregnant, and he knows. Michael is going to show up, how the hell can I protect a child when I can't even take care of myself? This is so beyond fucking messed up, you really did it this time Ara. _

She crawled into the tub and started to quietly cry. She was lost, Bree had been some comfort and told Ara what she thought. She wanted to move them both back to her home town, but in the end she said only Ara could decide and she was behind her 100%.

HAPPY POV~

He placed his hand on the door and knew she was crying, it pulled at his gut and he wanted nothing but to comfort her. He sat back on the bed when a knock came on the door. He padded over with his gun drawn. When he looked out the window and saw the man, he opened the door.

"What the fuck man! I have been hanging in that bush in this humid heat, and you're here getting ready to go to sleep." Juice gave him a exasperated look of anger and confusion.

"I'm going to stay here tonight, you can head back and let Bud know that he can leave too." He handed Juice a spare key to the room.

"Yeah about that, Bree pulled a gun on him. Apparently she saw us before we saw her. Told him to get the fuck out before she started practicing 'pin the bullet on the biker'. Bud is already back at the clubhouse, called her a tough bitch but I think he liked her." Juice gave a smile before he left and headed back down the stairs and back to the party at the New Orleans clubhouse.

Happy returned to the bed and continued to look at the bathroom door, he was done waiting for her to come out, he opened the door and she was sitting in the tub with her chin on her knees. He felt a ache in his chest with how lost she looked, he removed his clothes and crawled into the tub behind her wrapping one strong arm around her.

"I'm sorry Happy." She turned into his embrace and snuggled his arm around her chest.

"I told you I could protect you. Why would you not believe me?"

"It's just hard to feel safe after years of fear and running. You offered a wonderful dream, and it is just hard to accept just yet. And than to find out I was pregnant on top of the whole Michael mess. I freaked on a defcon 5 level, and I came to the one person I knew who could help me sort this out."

"Bree?" He wrapped his other arm around her and watched as her hand circled his wrist. He was just glad that she was talking to him.

"Yeah."

"And what did Bree say?" He nuzzled the side of her head with his lips and put a small kiss on her temple.

"To pull my head out of my ass, she said you sounded very capable and it wasn't fair to take off like I did. She said I had to get my ass back to Charming and tell you about the baby, and to quit being such a pussy cause I'm a parent now and to try harder."

Happy gave a huff of a laugh at that. He hadn't met her but he could tell he was going to like this Bree, and he got the feeling she was a gun toting no-nonsense-get-your-head-out-of-your-ass type of woman.

They sat for awhile longer and then got out of the tub and crawled into the bed where Happy once again had his flower, his Ara, back in his arms. He rested his arm around her side and setteled on her belly.

_I'm a father._

ARA POV~

Ara woke to being in bed alone and saw the note that Happy stuck to her alarm clock stating he went to get them breakfast and would be back very soon. She went into the bathroom and started her morning routine, feeling better and rested, ready to take on the problems of her life. The one positive was she now had Happy in her corner. He had proved that he was not going to leave her high and dry by showing up in New Orleans looking for her. She was smiling at the thought when she heard someone fumbling with the door. She walked out to see a burly figure messing with the door through the window.

_Not Happy._

Her heart rate increased and she dug in her duffle to take out her Louieville slugger and hid beside the door. That was when the door opened and the figure walked through. Ara swung the bat and heard a yell. She kicked the figure in the stomach and he sprawled on the floor with a moan.

She slowly approached the body and that was when he grabbed her foot and rolled her on the floor and restrained her from further movement.

HAPPY POV~

Happy was coming back up the stairs when he heard scuffling and a muted scream, that was when he saw the door to their room open and a man on top of his flower with a hand over her mouth, his instincts kicked in and before he knew it and he had a knife to the throat of the would be assailant.

"Get off her now." Happy's voice was no longer raspy but a menacing whisper that meant he would kill at any moment.

The figure froze and put his hands up and slowly started to get up, Happy came to the front of him and realized it was Bud. No vest to prove his association, no wonder Ara panicked.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Came to check on you guys, your pres wanted to know you were ok. I got the key from Juice, he told me where to find the both of you. I knocked and when she didn't answer I assumed the worse and came in using the key, but your lady here got the jump on me."

Happy used his arm to pull Ara behind him but never relinquished the knife from Bud's throat.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, he just caught me off guard is all, I'm so sorry I just assumed it was him and that he found me." She burried her head between his shoulder blades and took deep breaths. Happy was going to store that information for later questioning.

Happy lowered the knife and moved one hand to her hip to reassure her.

"If it makes you feel any better, your lady sure can use a bat." He crawled up to the edge of the bed holding his side and used his free hand to rub the calves of his legs.

That was when he noticed the bat was laying on the floor. Atfer a few minutes he walked Bud out of the room and was relayed the message that they would be meeting up later this morning to get the ball rolling on the return home. Bud apoligized again to Ara for scaring her and left to return to the clubhouse.

Happy walked back in and picked up the bat and looked at Ara with a raised eyebrows. Ara shrugged her shoulders and sat on the bed.

"Where the hell did you get this?" Happy asked.

"Bree."

"Bree?"

"Yeah, Bree. She was a softball champ and believes in self defense, she taught me how to use one...effectively."

Happy smiled and gave a small laugh as he put the bat back on the bed and gave an small shake of his head, he and Bree were most definitley going to get along.

"Don't laugh, this woman can kick some ass when the situation warrants it!"

"I know, and trust me I believe you." He pulled her into a hug and kissed her lips.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: So I hope you are all still with me here! I have been working on the next few chapters, and I hope you like them. I did take a small hiatus and read some of your guys work as well! I really appreciate the comments that you leave! So here is that lovely disclaimer once again: I do not own SOA or any of the characters this is simply a story of my imagination! Happy reading!

**Chapter 11**

** Dinner and a job **

They both went to the clubhouse later that morning and she got to meet all of the guys from both charters. But it was at church that Happy found out that they got a tip about a rat threatening the club and it needed to be dealt with swiftly, this was where Happy and his 'special abilities' were needed. The job would take place tonight before they all headed back to Charming in the morning.

Happy and Ara used the rest of the day for her to show him around New Orleans and when evening came Happy took Ara to Bree's house. He was actually excited to meet this tough bitch, when they pulled up on his bike Bud was waiting for them.

"Bud." Happy said as he was climbing off his bike.

"Happy. So I get the ladies tonight eh, well I hardly think they need us, one packs a bat and the other a glock and both know how to use them, I would feel sorry for the asshole that tries to hurt them."

Happy gave a small laugh, and the fact that Bud had decided to wait outside after he and Bree's last encounter made the situation even funnier. Happy found out after church this morning that Bree threatened to pop a cap in his ass just cause she felt she needed to hit 'straight up G' status and told him if he knew what was good for him he whould leave or she would play pin the bullet on the biker.

They walked up the steps and stood behind Ara as she rang the doorbell, a woman who was her height with tan skin and dark chocolate brown hair and green eyes opened the door.

"Ara! I was wondering when you were going to get here!" She leaned forward and hugged Ara in a tight embrace.

She prompted them into the house. As they followed her down the small entryway Happy noted that Bud was staring at Bree.

"What's up man?"

"She looked, I don't know..bigger the other night." He was giving an appreciative glance up and down of Bree as she and Ara stood in the dining room laughing.

"Off limits brother, your babysitting not hooking up tonight." Bud gave an innocent shrug of his shoulders and continued to follow Happy into the room.

Happy walked over to Ara and put his arm around her "Name's Happy, this is Bud." Bud walked up and nodded at Bree.

"Bree." They exchanged a few pleasantries. After awhile Happy excused himself to leave for the evening but when Bud did not get up Bree looked at Happy and than him.

"Uh, I think you forgot your friend." She watched as Happy turned around.

"Nope, meet your bodyguard slash babysitter ladies, compliments of the Sons." He turned again to leave.

Bree stood up "Your kidding right?" Happy turned back around and when he did not answer she retorted, "I think I am capable of taking care of us."

"Yeah, saw that the other night darlin' while you were threatening to go 'straight up G' on me with your glock." Bud said with a twitch of his lips.

"Oh those were happy times, what can I say, a gun in hand is better than a cop on the phone. But I think you gentleman are confused, we appreciate the gesture but we don't need a babysitter." She looked at both men with defiance in her eyes daring them to challenge her as she crossed her arms over her chest waiting for one of them to answer.

Happy quickly saw the traits that Ara and Bree had in common, starting with the smart mouth and the eyes of defiance to match, no wonder the two got along so great.

"It would make me feel better if you had the extra muscle." He turned to Bud "Do whatever they ask, and do not let them out of your sight." Not leaving time for any arguments from either party, he simply walked out the door.

ARA POV~

"Well, I see what you mean." Bree looked at Ara and turned back to Bud giving him a solid once over "And what are we going to do with you?"

Bud smiled and looked at both ladies watching as they smiled at each other than back at him.

"Ooh I know, lets give him a makeover!" Bree squeeled her hands were waving eccentrically in the air.

"Well I want to paint his toenails than." Ara said with a devilish grin.

"Lets pluck his eyebrows, there should be two!" Bud rubbed between his eyes.

"No lets wax, its more humane!" Ara said with a smile. "Oh who are we kidding we can always knock him out and shave them off completely!" Bree shook her head in agreement.

"That would definitely be a way to channel our inner barber! We talked about it at work a couple of times, but don't you worry Bud I used to shave dogs at the local dog groomers back in high school, I mean they turned out OK for the most part!" Bree said with a huge smile.

"No ladies, I'm here to protect you, not be your doll." He gave a menacing look and folded his arms across his chest.

"Ooh, tough one huh, my favorite to break."

"Go easy on him Bree, he might be tender on the inside." Ara had a look of sympathy as she looked at Bud.

Bree folded her arms across her chest and used one hand to tap a finger against her chin as she pretended to be thinking aloud "Hmm, Ara did we or did we not hear 'do whatever they ask'? Oh who are we kidding, we could always whip out the dart gun I got last year and drug him that way, than we can just do whatever we want anyways."

"You know there is two of us and only one of him we can stun him and than tie him to the chair and make him watch Justin Bieber videos while we throw popcorn at him." Ara's face was dead serious and Buds face went from smiling to utter disbelief. After one brief moment both of the women burst out laughing.

"Come on Bud, we're just fucking with you! Lets go make dinner, you can chop the vegetables with the interesting blade you got strapped to your thigh. And than we can all watch The Notebook together!" They both took off to the kitchen holding each others arms and laughing, leaving a stunned biker in the dining room, he prefered the glock and the bat.

"I can't believe they think you two are defenseless, defenseless my ass you two are trouble in sheeps clothing." He mumbled as he followed the two women into the kitchen regreting he did not bring someone else with him.

HAPPY POV~

The night was silent with the sounds of crickets, Happy came out of the small shack and lit a cigarrette. Taking a pull from it and letting out he looked around the area. Jax came out and stood beside him smoking a cigarette as well. His once white shirt was now splattered in blood, and he started to clean his hands with a rag.

"Think he'll talk?" Jax asked.

"They always talk."

"Yeah, how you have the stomach for this shit sometimes is beyond me. Where is your lady at tonight?"

"Her friend Bree's house, left Bud with them."

"The one she pulled the gun on? How did that blow over."

"They accepted it."

"Did you give them a chance to otherwise?"

"Nope, come on lets get this shit done." Happy walked in to the shack and in a chair was a bound and gagged middle aged man who was covered in blood. His head and shoulders were slumped over. Jax as well as Clay and two other members from the New Orleans charter were sitting around looking at the man.

"Time to wake up rat, round four." It was Clay sitting in a chair with his cigar.

Happy lifted the mans head and gave him one look before he punched him across the jaw for what felt like the one hundrenth time. The man's face spewed more blood and he barely let out a grunt.

"Wake up sunshine" Happy said with his low raspy voice, he removed his knife and brought it up to the guys face, the man twitched and tried to move away "don't you know what we do to rats?"

Using his knife and a pliers he cut out the tongue of the man who was in the chair, the man started to kick as best he could but was unable to move due to his restraints. Happy threw the severed tongue into the mans lap and continued to watch him as he writhed in pain.

"Well this has been fun but maybe we should wrap it up I want to get some sleep before we head out tomorrow, is the back ready?" Clay looked at Tiny Tim and Switch, both brothers from the southern charter.

"Ready when you are." Tiny Tim got up and started to open the door to the back where there were several alligators waiting.

"Time to go for a swim." Happy and Switch grabbed the now limp man out of his chair after removing his restraints. With no fight left he was dragged to the bag of the shack where the alligators were being tossed hunks of meat to entice them closer.

Happy and Switch brought him to a standing position and Clay walked up to the man lifting his head.

"Perhaps you should of thought twice before you fucked with the Sons." He gave a nod and the men tossed the man into the pool of awaiting alligators. The man gave out several horrific screams before he went below the surface and never came back up. Happy again took up the rag that was sitting on the railing and started to clean his hands as best he could while the others started to clean up the room they had spent the past three grueling hours in.

"You good brother?" Clay came up behind Happy.

"Yeah, great."

"I've been meaning to tell you, that Arabelle, she's a lovely girl. She seems like she will be good for you, been good to your ma?"

"Yeah, she has."

"Does she know what you do?"

"No, but I'm going to tell her." He looked Clay in the eyes and stood tall to address the president of his charter.

"You serious about making her your old lady, what happens if she can't accept the truth?"

"She will, she is tough, she has been through a lot. She can handle it."

"And if she doesn't?"

Happy stood in silence, he never contemplated what would happen if she didn't accept what he said or did for the club. Nor did he think of the consequences if it all backfired on him, this changed things. And now they were going to have a child together, and his mother was not doing so well.

_She has to accept it, she has to accept me. _

Happy got on his bike, with a whole new set of worries that he never had before. He had to tell Ara, and soon, to find out where they stood when the truth was completely out. He was not much of a praying man, but he hoped that it would turn out the way he wanted it too. He started his bike and headed back towards Bree's house where Ara was waiting.

He knocked on the door of the house to have Bud answer with his gun hiding behind the door.

"Hey man, glad your back." Bud said with a relieving grin.

"Have fun tonight." Happy gave a sarcastic grin and walked into the house, they started to walk into the dining room area where they had started the evening.

"Well they threatened to shoot me with a dart gun so they could drug me and shave my eyebrows off but they were torn between that option and knocking me out and tying me to a chair so I could watch Justin Beiber videos while they tossed popcorn at me. Than they made me chop vegetables for supper and told me we had to watch 'The Notebook' only to come to find out they had 'The Human Centipede.' Brother I heard about your rep but that was some seriously fucked up shit!" Bud rubbed his hand over his eyes.

"Where is Ara?" He continued to move through the house and heard some pop music playing from the back bedroom that he could only presume to be Bree's room.

"They both are in her room, something about girl talk, said the only way I was getting in was if I was hiding a vagina, wore a size 5 jeans, or let them paint my toes, I love you brother but I will not do that. But I have been outside the door, they like to laugh a lot. Once in awhile they open the door and Bree hands me her wine glass so I can get more wine for her highness, said something about medicinal purposes."

Happy gave a smirk. And continued to follow the sound of the music. As he got closer he heard Salt-n-Peppa blaring from the speakers in her room. And he started to listen.

"I'm just saying a man that fine has got to be something else in the sack!" It was Bree and he could hear her flitting about the room.

"Wouldn't you like to know. Tell me again how someone like you manages to remain single!" Ara started to giggle.

"What can I say, I like to keep my options open!" She said in a sing song voice.

ARA POV~

Ara watched as Bree did one of her classic traits, rearranging the room she was in while she drank wine. Twice she had made the self proclaimed 'He-man' come in to move furniture, reminding him that Happy did have him here as "extra muscle" and she intended to take full advantage of the generous offer from the Sons. Initially they had thought Bud was a burly type of man only to find out later that he was far from it. He removed his vest and sweater he had on during his course of 'slavery' and had quickly changed what they had thought of the man. His clothes gave a decieving appearance, he wasn't small or lean by any means, he had to be a solid 6'4" and weigh in at a good 230lbs of muscle and brawn, obviously able to handle himself in any situation. When he was done she would hand him her wine glass and remind him that if he did not have a vagina he could not be in the room or he was more than welcome to try and squeeze into her size 5 jeans but he could be a dear and refill her glass for her. Bud had been a good sport about it though, she feed him and had a steady supply of beer for the man to drink and she did give him a drunken hug as the night went on. As Bree did this she mentioned that she only treated him like this to 'make him stronger' and that had Bud laughing and compliant with the ladies demands. He did draw the line at giving them foot masages though.

"Bree, do you think it's a good idea that I got so close so soon?" Ara had turned serious, she looked at her best friend as she was sitting in the center of her bed.

"Oh honey…" Bree moved to the bed and placed her wine glass on the night stand "I told you this before, you are going to be fine. Now that I have met him, he seems very capable of taking care of you. He looks pretty tough and he really likes you. I can tell how he is always staring at you. And besides look at chewbaca he left in my house for protection so he could go 'handle business' something tells me he plays for keeps and sweetie he's got his sights set on you!"

Ara looked at her hands and had a small blush come over her face. "You know Bud isn't all that bad Bree. He actually looks like he could be pretty cute. I mean the beard kind of throws you off but you have to admit, he is pretty good looking."

"Oh I'm not saying he isn't but the whole me man you woman vibe can be hard to swallow. We should get my dart gun and shoot him in the ass just to see him jump! No drugs just a nice little dart." Bree had a twinkle in her eye when she said this.

"Happy would kill us!"

"Well there is that too." Both of the girls started to giggle in the bed and laid down and faced each other. "Bud isn't so bad, you know me, I just like to make them squirm. And by them I do mean the male population!" They had another round of giggles again.

"Oh Bree I cannot wait to see the man who finally tames you."

"You and me both babe, but so far no man has passed the test." Suddenly there was a knock on the door. And Bree got up grabbing her wine glass on the way and opened the door to a set of dark piercing eyes.

Happy walked into the room with Bud right behind him. He came up to Ara and hugged her. When he pulled away he noticed that he had just left blood all over her sweater.

_Oh my god._

HAPPY POV~

He looked down to see her sweater and noticed that he had left spots of blood on her cream sweater. She just looked at him in awe.

_Fuck. Shit, we need to leave now._

"Ok I take it our evening is over, so it was great having you all here, but I think you and Ara are going to want to get back to the hotel so you can both..uh..rest."

"Excellent idea Bree." Ara quickly moved passed them all and started for the front door with Happy quickly trailing after her. Bud followed and Bree behind them, they all gathered their belongings and as Bree was saying good night, Happy pulled Ara out the front door only to have Bud close the door behind them leaving Bree alone with the biker. Ara turned to go back and help her friend but Happy continued to pull Ara towards his bike.

"She's going to be fine he is just going to talk to her." He handed her a helmet and got on his bike, looking at Ara waiting for her to either get on or run back up on the stairs to her friend. She gave a concerned glance to the door, and than crawled on the bike.

The ride back to the hotel was a quick one, she did not look at him once till they were in the safety of the room and he went straight to the bathroom to shower and get rid of the soiled bloody clothes. When he came out Ara was sitting on the bed and when he sat beside her she got up and shuffled towards the bathroom.

"I'm going to shower." She shut the door and Happy could hear the lock turn.

_Fuck, is she scared of me now? _

After a half an hour in the bathroom Ara came out dressed in shorts and a tank top pulling her hair into that messy updo that he thought of often when they were at the springs together.

"Happy, lets not talk about it. I know you want to but tonight I just had so much fun with my best friend and I just want to curl up and watch a movie, can we do that, just worry about it later?"

Happy shook his head and they both laid in the bed watching a movie on TV, she rolled over and tucked her head into the crook of his neck and fell asleep. Happy stayed awake to watch her sleep for awhile longer feeling her breaths on his neck before he too fell asleep with the smell of Ara's hair in his nostrils wondering how this was going to work out now that he pretty much forced her to see what he did for the club.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Hey guys, sorry it took me so long to update, but I have had genuine writers block these past few days. I have been having a hard time trying to bridge what has happened with what is going to happen, I can see where I want it to go I just have to get it there. So with that being said, stick with me! Disclaimer time: I do not own SOA or any of the SOA characters, this is fictitious creation made simply for my enjoyment! Happy reading!

**Chapter 12**

**Surprises**

Ara woke the next morning bright and chipper, never asking again about what she had saw the evening before about the blood or how the blood came to be all over Happy. She was even more relieved after she saw Bree later that morning and, Bree was reluctant to share to many details about the encounter between her and Bud, just that it was a 'fun one' and everything was fine. Bud on the other hand Ara had caught staring at Bree for most of the morning often watching her walk around the area, giving Ara the sinking feeling that something more happened than Bree lead on. She never got to ask Bree about what happened after she and Happy left, she figured that would be a good phone conversation after she was home and bored one day. Bree promised to come visit her in Charming very soon and with her goodbye she went to her car only to have Bud follow her a few minutes later. Questions were left looming in Ara's mind about what had truly transpired between the two during last nights encounter and what Bud true intentions with Bree left her curious.

Ara was put on a plane by Happy and was told that one of the prospects would be waiting at the terminal for her when she got off and she had better be there, he also informed her that she would be staying at the clubhouse till Happy returned to Charming. Ara attempted to argue that she wanted to get back to the house but Happy told her that he had a nurse covering and he wasn't going to risk her being in Charming without him around, Ara eventually left Happy have his was and she promised that she would wait for him at the clubhouse.

It had been a long two days but Happy was very relieved when they finally pulled into the lot of the clubhouse and shop. Ara had kept her word and he found her asleep in his room. As he crawled in behind her wrapping his arms around her and pulling her in tighter to his embrace he was Happy that the trip had turned out the way that he had intended.

HAPPY POV~

"Hey." He kissed the side of her mouth.

"Your back, I've missed you." She replied in a sleepy tone as she turned her head for a better kiss.

"Let's go home."

"I would like that very much." She smiled and sat up. Happy was glad to see her in one of his t-shirts. He watched as she slipped into one of her sweaters and put on her tennis shoes. "Ok lets go!" She had a smile on her face.

As they rode home Happy enjoyed the feeling of her arms around his chest with her small hands holding onto him tight with her chin on his back.

Maria was very glad to see that they both had returned from New Orleans, Ara immediatley took over the role as caregiver to his mother once again, quickly thanking and dismissing the covering nurse. Once they got Maria squared away Ara went down the hallway to the room they both shared when she sucked in her breath in took in the surroundings…

The room was competely repainted in a warm buttery color with a mauve back wall versus the hard blue and white walls it was before. There was a new bed frame with her previous bedding on it and off to the right on her side of the bed was a baby basinette.

ARA POV~

_Oh my god! It looks so beautiful! _

She turned and Happy was standing there looking at her reaction of surprise to the room.

"When did you do this?!" She turned to take in the room again.

"While we were gone, thought you would like it. I didn't pick the colors though, definitely not something I would of picked. I wanted to wait till I was here so I could see your face." He gave a small shoulder shrug that followed with a dissaproving look around the room clearly hating the colors that were chosen, the prospect was clearly going to get it for this one.

"It's beautiful! It's perfect!" She turned and threw her arms around Happy's neck and laid a kiss on him.

"The bed is brand new, what do you say we break it in?"

"Of course I want to, but I have to get your mom squared away and see how she has been these past couple of days, she said she wasn't feeling well today." Ara started to leave the room when he grabbed and brought her into anotehr kiss and he let her go to watch her walk down the hallway.

The rest of the day was spent getting situated in their home environment, Ara took Maria out back and they sat out there for most of the afternoon and early evening. Ara made supper with the night ending with Maria going to bed early due to not feeling well, it caused her some concern this lack of stamina, Maria appeared to be thinner and more pale and fragile looking. She had been fighting her cancer for so long and she had only been given months to live before her arrival. Making it almost two months since Ara had arrived, she thought the worst when she saw her frail appearance. Tommorrow she would take her to the clinic to get a check up.

Ara went into the kitchen and started to do the dishes when Happy came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her body.

"Hey."

"Hey." He kissed the side of her neck.

"I think I am going to take your mom in tomorrow. She isn't looking so good."

Happy tensed at the thought and came around her to look at her with his full gaze.

"What do you mean she doesn't look good?"

"She just looks more pale and she doesn't have as much stamina, I just want to get her into her doctor and have her looked over. Make sure that we are ready for when things….aren't so great." Ara looked at her hands and than shifted her eyes to him to judge his reaction. When he didn't say anything Ara started to talk again.

"Happy we knew this day was going to come, it's time to face that it might be starting."

Happy's gaze locked on hers and that was when he spoke "What is starting?"

Ara took a deep breath and let it out "The dying process."

Happy tensed and backed away from her, not wanting to hear the information that she was telling him.

"Happy…"

That was when he turned and left her standing at the counter and she could hear his motorcycle start up and leave. She was not prepared for his reaction and turned to the sink with a sinking sensation in her abdomen, this was not going to go well.

HAPPY POV~

_Dying, she's dying. _

Happy was consumed with thoughts of his mother and the facts the Ara had laid in front of him, his mother was possibly starting the remainder of her days and Ara had told him like it was the weather. He wanted to be mad, hate someone, anyone. To prevent from taking it out on Ara he did the only thing that he could do, leave. He arrived at the clubhouse grabbed a drink next to Tig and Opie.

"Hey brother, what brings you here?" Tig sat next to Happy holding his own drink with a crow eater under the other arm.

Happy shook his head and turned to look around the room, leaving Opie and Tig to continue their conversation. He needed something to take his mind off of what had and is happening.

He spent the rest of the night drinking with the guys, playing pool, unable to enjoy the company of crow eaters, all because of her, Ara.

ARA POV~

It had been four days since Happy left the house when Ara told him her concerns about his mother, and to have those fears confirmed the next day was even harder. The cancer that had been slowly eating away at Maria had moved to her bones and her brain, she was failing and it was moving faster than she expected. She had spent the next couple of days getting things in order. She sent updates on Maria through the prospect that showed up everyday but still no word let alone appearance of Happy.

Maria's stamina was waining and Ara could see it everyday, she tried to be strong but she could only make it sitting up for short amounts of time. She kept her comfortable and spent as much time as she could with her before she slept for most of the day. Her appetite started to dwindle, and still no Happy, this had surprised Ara considering how protective he had been of his mother in the begining.

_Where the hell is he? Why won't he come see her?_

On the fifth day of this new routine, Ara had had enough, she walked out to the prospect and looked him in the eye.

"You tell him, he needs to come back here and see his mother." She walked back into the house before he could say anything back to her. A few minutes later she heard the motorcycle start up and leave the driveway, Ara turned to a now tired Maria and picked up a book and began to read.

HAPPY POV~

Happy sat at the bar when the prospect that was supposed to be guarding his house came in and walked straight up to him.

"I have a message from Ara." Happy turned his full gaze on the fidgeting prospect.

"Well speak up prospect."

"She said you need to go home and see your mother." Again he started to fidget with his gloves and feet clearly nervous around the club enforcer.

"That it?"

"Yes."

"Than get back to the fucking house." Happy turned back to the bar and the prospect rushed back out of the clubhouse to return back to the house. Still Happy sat at the bar not moving, a half hour, an hour, than two had passed. He knew he should go home, see his mother but yet he continued to sit. Three hours, four.

He sighed to himself as he got up and walked out of the clubhouse, he was going to see his mother knowing her days were numbered, he could no longer avoid what was happening. She was dying.

ARA POV~

Maria had fallen asleep after 15 minutes of Ara reading and she was resting peacefully. Ara cleaned the house, started supper for the evening, and was sitting in the living room reading a book when she heard the familiar sounds of pipes pull up. Her eyes looked up to the door just as Happy walked in through the front door.

_Finally, he has come back._

"She has been sleeping for about three and a half hours now, you should wake her up. She would really like to see you Happy." Her voice was short and to the point, she could get that he was starting his grieving stages, even if he wouldn't acknowledge it, but he had wasted five days he could have had with his mother and frankly she was pissed at him. He didn't deserve sympathy tones, he had been an idiot. She looked back at her book and ignored him completely.

HAPPY POV~

He nodded his head and went to the room that his mother was resting in. Ara had gotten a different bed for her, moved out some of the dressers and clutter to make more room for visitors and movement, and of course machines that he had no idea were used for.

His mother lied in the bed, she looked thinner. More fragile than she had when they returned from New Orleans. He knew that this day was coming, and when finally faced with it he left. He was no stranger to causing pain and death, yet this was something different. She was in pain and dying from something he had no control over, something he could not retaliate against and this did not sit well with him. He moved to the side of the bed, and sat in the chair that he was positive Ara had sat in often and grabbed his mothers hand.

"My son…" she turned her head to look at him "where have you been my boy?"

Happy looked down at their hands, he had no words, no explanations why he had not been there. Why he left her in the care of Ara and a prospect.

"It is ok my son, I know you work and you have your club." Her frail hand moved to his forearm and she gave him a reassuring smile.

Happy looked at her smiling dark brown eyes that were exactly like his and than back at their hands.

ARA POV~

It had been over an hour since he went into the room, he closed the door behind him and she had no idea what they talked about. If she was even awake to enjoy his presence.

_Shouldn't of waited so long._

Ara was still upset over how long Happy had taken to come see his mother, but at least he was here now. She was making herself a cup of tea when she turned and he was standing behind her startling her she had spilt some of her tea on the floor. She gave a subtle gasp and set her cup on the counter reaching for a towel to clean up the mess.

"Jesus Happy, you scared the shit out of me!" She cleaned up the mess and stood back up to face him.

"How long does she have?" He continued to look into her eyes waiting for her to answer.

"I don't know Happy, everyone is different, goes through the process differently. She could have days, she could have a couple of weeks. But it is to the point where you need to be with her now." She folded her arms over her chest and looked directly back at him.

He moved closer to her, their chests scant inches apart.

"Where have you been Happy?" She made it a little to accusingly and he responded to it.

"Around." His jaw showed the slightest of clench but he continued to look at her.

"I see. Well I have taken care of everything for your mother to finish out her days here unless you want to send her to a facility instead, I have that ready to go as well, I just need to know what you want to do." If he wanted to be like this, than so could she.

Happy looked into her gaze for a second longer "She stays here."

They stood for another minute and Happy moved closer yet into her space. She looked into his eyes and waited for him to ask her something. He moved closer bringing his face so close to hers she could feel his breath on her.

Than nothing, he turned and left the room as quietly as he entered it. Ara stood confused about the man, seeing a new side of him she was not prepared for.

HAPPY POV~

Happy moved through the house to the back yard and sat in the chair his mother often sat in, looking at the yard with it flowers and semblance of peace that it gave to those within its confines.

He pulled out a ciagrette and lit it. He had spoke with Clay and Jax before leaving, letting them know that he had to be home for awhile, they knew his mother was dying and said they wouldn't call unless it couldn't be handled by another member or Tig specifically. Now he was here and he had nothing to do but sit and wait, wait for her to fail, wait for her to leave this world. He rarely was indecisive and yet he couldn't decide if he should stay or should he leave.

_To many surprsises this month._

If there was one thing that he did not like it was surprises and the unkown, and these next few days were going to be filled with just that. Happy continued to pull on his cigarette and look out at the back yard.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hey boys and girls! Sorry it took so long to post, but I had an awesome 4 chapters and then it was deleted! For those of you who know, it is hard to go back and recreate, I was so discouraged that I almost quit altogether! It is not as good as I had intended but after a pity party and much encouragment from my sis, I am going to get back at it. Maybe it was fate, maybe just plain stupidity but everything happens for a reason right?! So disclaimer time, I do not own SOA or any of its characters but I do own the Ara character! So with that being said, enjoy! And thank you for your patience! Happy reading! :-)**

**Chapter 13**

**Gains and Loses**

HAPPY POV~

For three days Happy watched as the woman that was once his mother became a shell of her former self. Three days of watching her go from being able to sit in a chair to needing someone to help her roll in the bed. Helpless, weak, and dying.

Ara had completely turned into someone else when it came to the care of his mother, she ran a tight ship when it came to the care of her patient, every moment of her day was scheduled and regimented and he could see why anyone would want her for a nurse. For three days she treated him like he was just some random family member, she told him what was happening and than nothing. She acted like they had not been sleeping together before all of this started, like she wasn't carrying his child in her body, she acted like she was just some hired help. It was starting to piss him off. She had not slept in their bed for the past three days since he had been back. Remaining at his mothers side, even now he knew that is where she was.

_Fuck it, might as well get up. _

He pulled on his jeans and as he was opening the door he saw Ara walking swiftly past him, she had a pile of sheets and blankets in her arms and was going to the laundry room. And than he smelt it, vomit, a smell that was hard to miss. He quickly went into his mothers room and saw her sitting in her chair with a bag to her face, she clearly had just finished getting sick and was still feeling nauseated.

Than he felt Ara come into the room behind him, new sheets and blankets in hand. She started to make the bed.

"Maria is nauseated today but she is feeling the best that she has in a couple of days, I suggest you spend some time with her while she is feeling this good." She told him this while making efficient movements to make the bed. She than turned her gaze on him when he did not answer her.

Happy stood and looked at the hazel eyes he stared into when he went to sleep and the same ones he liked to look into while he was having his coffee in the morning. He nodded his head.

"I will get her washed up, make breakfast, and than I have to call her doctor, that is when it will be a good time for you sit with her." She turned back to the bed to continue her task.

Happy walked out of the room to the kitchen when Ara set up to do personal cares for his mother. After ten long minutes she came out and Happy started walking back towards his mothers room and met her half way in the hallway. He took his moment and grabbed her hand bringing her towards him. He stared into her eyes and started to move in to give her a kiss when she suddenly became aware of what he was doing and pulled back.

"Your mother is waiting and you need to worry about her right now. I don't know how much longer she is going to make it and it's time you prepare yourself. I have to call the doctor and get a few things in place."

"Ara…"

"Happy, we will worry about us later. Right now there are bigger issues going on. Your mother needs _BOTH_ of us to stay focused right now." She pulled her hand out of his and continued down the hallway not even looking back, this was really starting to piss him off.

But he had to give it to her, straight and to the point, it was one of the things he liked about her when they first met…her honesty. Happy turned and headed into the room taking the chair next to his mothers bed and grabbing her hand.

ARA POV~

_Seriously? He disappears for how many days and than he wants to act like nothing is wrong?! You have got to be fucking kidding me! Maria, think about Maria, she needs me right now and I will not let her down. _

Ara pulled out the file she kept on Maria, health history, doctors, labs, etc. She found the page for the doctor that was handling her hospice care and proceeded to call him to get the medications she needed to keep her comfortable in these last few days.

Once she got the orders that she wanted she started to make a small breakfast for Maria, nothing to fancy, some scrambled eggs and yogurt. She probably wouldn't be able to eat much, but they were two of her favorites. She brought the tray to the room and that was when she saw Maria with her frail hand cupping Happy's chin and he was looking straight into her eyes. She had clearly told him something, when she saw Ara she put her hand back to her side and smiled at her and Happy straightened up in his chair avoiding her stare.

She set up the small dinner tray and set the food on it and looked at Happy.

"Feed your mother, don't push her, just what she wants and don't be alarmed if its not much. I have to go to the pharmacy, I got some medications for her to help her get more comfortable. We are going to be inserting two subcutaneous lines to help manage two of her medications. It is more effective than oral medications and the absorption is better for long term use. I have used them quiet a few times and feel this really is the best way to go, if you don't want to do this, we can always insert IV's."

"Will they hurt?" Maria folded her hands on her abdomen and looked at Ara, Happy turned towards Ara wanting to hear the information as well.

"A small poke just into the fatty layer of your belly. Less pain than an IV, and they last longer than an IV. I can insert one and use the site for up to seven days. It is really what I recommend."

"Ok dear, whatever you think." She turned and smiled at her son.

"Ok, well here is your breakfast. There is extra on the stove for you as well Happy if you want to eat with your mother. But she really should eat before she gets to tired. I am going to the pharmacy, the doctor already called in all my prescriptions I asked for and I also have to swing by the hospital to grab a few supplies. I should be back in about two hours, if anything at all should happen or you just have a question I have my cellphone on me and I can be back quick." She looked at both of them waiting to see if they had any questions, when they asked none she turned and left the room.

She did not hear those silent foot falls until she felt two strong arms grab her from behind and pull her into his chest.

"We need to talk."

"Happy, I told you…" she was suddenly spun around, backed into the wall of the hallway and than staring into dark brown eyes.

"Ara, I know I fucked up, I never said I was going to be good at this. But I am done with you treating me like I am just some random person in the room." He caged her in with his arms and moved his chest closer to hers and brought his face within inches of her face.

"I'm doing my job. Remember that is what you hired me for. That doesn't stop because what is happening between us." She attempted to push his arm away as she turned to leave.

Happy used his arm pulled her into his chest. Wrapping both arms around her so she couldn't move. Ara gave a sigh and looked down at the floor.

"Look at me." When she didn't he said it again "Ara, look at me."

She raised her face to look into his eyes and waited for him to say something.

"Thank you for taking care of my mother." He brought his lips down to hers taking the kiss he had been wanting for the past couple of days. After a few moments Ara's body became soft and she started to participate in the kiss that he initiated. Her hands went up his chest circled around to his back while his went to her hip and the other to the nape of her neck and into her hair.

They stood in the hallway wrapped in each other and breathless from the kiss that they both had needed. He moved his face from hers and moved one hand to take a long soft curly strand of hair between his fingers and as she walked away the wisp of hair slipped between his fingers.

Ara left the house to run her errands, she was taking her time today. She had been couped up in the house for almost a week. And if they needed her she told them that she had her phone on her. So she took her time, she needed to think anyways.

HAPPY POV~

It had been almost two hours since she had left and Happy now sat on the couch waiting for her to get back, he watched TV and was drinking a beer. His mother had fallen asleep awhile ago, only after eating a few bites of the food Ara had made for her. Ara…he tried to tell her he was sorry but he could only thank her for taking care of her mother. He wasn't good at this relationship shit, he'd never tried before, never had a reason to try.

He sat on the couch with his beer, she had been gone to long and he was getting ready to call her cellphone and tell her to come back when he heard the car pull up. He looked out and Ara opened up the trunk of her car and was starting to unload things. Happy went outside and walked up behind her.

"Need some help?" She quickly turned and looked at him.

"Yeah, that would be great."

He started to grab some of the bags all which contained medical supplies, prescriptions and groceries then he noticed that she also had a bat in her trunk. He smiled at that, she definitley liked them and could use one, he saw first hand her results in New Orleans.

They went into the house and she started to put the groceries away, as she was digging through a couple of the bags she looekd up to see him leaning against the counter.

"Did you have a good visit with your mother?"

He gave a small shrug of his shoulders and nodded. "She fell asleep on me. She has been sleeping since than."

"Yeah, she will do that a lot more. Do you have any questions or concerns about what is happening with your mother?"

"How long?"

"I don't know Happy, everyone is different. Could be days could be weeks, I just don't know."

He nodded as he accepted the information that she was giving him. She turned and started to put things away. When she was facing the cupboard she ran her hands up her neck and lifted her hair up into a pile on top of her head and held it there with her hands as she looked out the window to the backyard.

Happy walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her and burried his face in her neck and hair. He placed small kisses against her neck, it had been a long day and he just wanted to hold her. Her hands moved from her head to his hands and he felt her hair tumble down brushing his arm with the soft strands and it smelt of flowers. He liked it.

"What are you doing Happy?"

He spun her around and backed her into the counter and lifted her to sit on it wrapping her legs around his waist. When she showed little resistance he took his arms and wrapped them around her chest and pulled her into a kiss, giving her no time to voice a protest.

Tongues stared to twine and rub against each other and her small soft hands ran up his arms and up to circle his neck bringing him closer. His hand went from her hip up her chest to cup her breast, and he deepened the kiss further.

He moved his hands into the inside of her shirt and stroked her soft skin. He broke the kiss long enough to pull her shirt up and off of her before returning for another kiss. Her hands roamed under his shirt and to his skin, she broke the kiss this time and removed his shirt. She looked at his chest studying the array of tattoos that covered his chest, she started to trace the outline to the snake that was coiled on his chest. She looked up at him and moved back in for another kiss.

He pulled her to his chest and lifted her enough to pull her shorts from her body setting her back on the cold counter.

His hands continued to roam all that soft skin and her hands did the same to his, he kissed her until her body was back peddling into the cupboards behind her.

He missed her skin, her smell, her touch. His lips started to move down her neck and to the soft skin of her chest. He used one of his hands to pull her hair back to expose her neck further and started to kiss the skin on her fragile neck.

He lifted her again this time removing her underwear; his hands moved to the clap of her bra and removed that too. He knew what he was doing; he had decided he was going to do it while he waiting for her to return. Nothing was going to stop him from getting what he wanted and right now, it was the embrace that only Ara could provide him.

She moved her hands to the buckle of his belt and opened it while undoing his jeans. He grabbed her hands and moved them to the top of his shoulders while wrapping her legs around his waist again. He lifted her and placed her onto him filling her soft body with his.

He looked into her eyes, wrapped his arms around her, and started to move her hips while he did a grinding into her pelvis. She met him grind for grind using his shoulders for support. He continued to move the way that he wanted to, needed too. He moved until her back was against another set of cupboards and he continued the thrusts, he felt her muscles start to grasp and milk his shaft, and that was when he let go. The feeling started to rise from his toes up his legs and into up to his groin until he had a release that he had been needing and wanting for days.

He let her legs fall to the floor but held onto her breathing heavily against her neck. Finally feeling the relief that he could get from her, he brought his head up and looked into her eyes and that was when he saw what looked to be a figure of a man in the shades of darkness in the back yard.

He quickly dressed and ran to the outside of the house not giving time to explain what was happening to Ara. He grabbed his gun as he went out the door looking for what he thought was a man, a man that was watching him and Ara in a private moment, it made him angry and he was going to kill the fucker that was out there when he found him.

However, when he got out to the backyard all he found was darkness and silence. He put his gun down to his side and turned to return to the house giving one last glance around the back yard. He had a feeling someone was here, and that creeper would return.

He found Ara dressed and pacing the kitchen as he walked back through the door.

"What is happening Happy? What did you find out there?" Ara had placed her hands on his forearms, clearly worried about what was happening.

"Nothing, thought I saw something, I guess I was wrong." He pulled her closer and wrapped an arm around her waist. Still looking through the window at the surrounding yard, the feeling of being watched had not dissipated.

They spent the rest of the evening taking care of Happy's mother, making plans for her final days.

Later they both returned to their room and went to bed for the night, something was wrong and he knew it, Happy was sure they were being watched, and he rarely doubted his instinct. He managed to go to sleep but it was fitful, something was coming, it was just a matter of when.

For the next three days, Maria had faded more and more. She stopped talking by the second day and today she was starting to breathe more rapid and shallow. Ara stood by him every step of the way, explaining what was happening the entire time, and keeping a constant watch over his mother to ensure her comfort.

His brothers stopped by, their old ladies and girlfriends stopped by as well, to pay their respects and offer to help, but Ara kept insisting that she was fine and that she was able to handle what was happening. Happy was thankful to have a beer with his brothers when he could, giving him a small reprieve from the feelings of helplessness and watching his mother slowly die, it was a feeling that he was not willing to acknowledge or accept yet he had no choice in the matter. Yet after all his denial to acknowledge this process, Maria continued to wither.

Another two days passed and Ara told Happy while they were sitting with his mother that it would not be much longer. Her breathing started to slow and she no longer moved on her own or opened her eyes, Ara turned off the oxygen and now all they had left was to wait. This was it, she was leaving this Earth, and Happy stayed at her side. He held her hand and helped Ara move her when it was time.

Than it came.

At 1:00 A.M. on a Thursday morning, Ara's soft hand rubbed Happy's arm to wake him.

"It's time Happy. You need to come to your mothers room now."

Happy got up from the bed and quickly dressed and followed Ara into the room. There he saw his mother giving small gasping breaths.

"It's called Cheyne-Stokes."

"What?" He turned his full gaze onto Ara.

"Her breathing, it happens when someone nears the end, it can be unnerving to some, but it is normal. I think you should say goodbye now Happy, she isn't going to make it much longer." She placed her hand on his arm and with one last glance; she turned and left the room so Happy could have his private goodbye with his mother.

After a few minutes, Ara came back in and found Happy holding his mother's hand and resting his head on their joined hands. Even in those precious few minutes, her breathing had slowed even more, a mere five breaths per minute now.

Ara sat beside Happy and held his hand, and they sat in silence. He continued to hold her hand in one and his mother in the other. The irony in the moment hit him, to be holding the hand of the one woman who mattered in his life for the longest time and the hand of the other woman who would matter the most once she left.

To lose one but gain another.

With that last thought, he looked at Ara and then back at his mother just in time to watch as she drew in her last breath.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Ok guys! I know I have been missing for awhile, but in all fairness I started school and work full time and a full time mom! Life is a tish busy this month! But you guys and this story have not been far from my mind! With all that being said: I do not own SOA or any of the chracters, except for Ara, that character is mine!**

**Chapter 14**

**And It Begins**

_HAPPY POV~_

Cold. Rain. Gloomy. It was exactly the mood that Happy was in since the events of the past week and the weather was a mirror to his mood. In addition, today they had buried his mother, an ending to a relationship that was not always the greatest but still she was his mother and he did love her. An ending to a hardship for both. Yet like an ass he felt, relief….peace. It was over.

Now Happy sat at the bar of the club, beer after beer and still he sat, alone with his thoughts and inner turmoil that no one would know about, not even her. He knew he should get home, things needed to be done and Ara being the woman that she was had no objection to him taking some time for himself. He knew he did not deserve someone as good as her, he knew it in his bones. The killer that he was…she was out of his league, and he needed to let her know that she was right where she should be. With him.

_ARA POV~_

She looked around the room; she had continued to pack up the belongings of Maria Lowman. She had moved the boxes to the garage, and they would decide what to do with the items. Ara continued to clean around the house, the truck for the equipment and the hospital bed was going to be here soon. Yet she continued to clean the house until there was nothing left to clean and then went outside.

_Fucking squirrels… _Ara was outside tending to the garden that she and Maria had spent hours in. The garden was at full bloom and as late as it was in the day the flowers still looked bright and cheerful, but squirrels were starting to pull apart some of her berry bushes she planted in the corner. Served her right, what did she expect…?

She picked up the weeds and threw them away. Happy still had not returned to the house, he was never good at showing his feelings and she knew he would be either out riding or at the club. She dusted off her hands and went inside the house to the kitchen where she could clean her hands off intending to make herself a cup of tea when she was done and that was when the doorbell rang.

"Yes?"

"Hi! Is there an Arabella Flowers here?" It was a young deliveryman in a green outfit, he had a grin that went from ear to ear and in his arms was a vase with the biggest white lilies she had ever seen.

"That's me."

"Oh, well these are for you. Lucky lady, he must really love you." He gave a nod of his head and turned to return to his truck.

Ara smelt the flowers and as she smiled at the flowers, they were the same lilies as the one that Happy had given her the night of the street fair when she first arrived in Charming. She took them back to the kitchen, set them on the table, and continued to make her tea.

_Maybe he is able to show more feelings than I thought. _

Her fingers touched the petal of one of the lilies. The smell coming off them was amazing and she could not help but smile and anticipate the return of Happy.

HAPPY POV~

The pool cue slid across between his thumb and forefinger, he took a bank shot for the red ball with the three in the center of it, this last ball, and he would win the game. He had spent most of the day and evening here. He decided he was going to head home, Ara was there and he had left her alone all day dealing with his mother's belongings. He laid the pool cue on the table and smiled at Tig.

"Unfucking believable…" Tig had a look of surprise that was quickly resolved when a blonde-haired woman came up to him. "Good game Hap." Just like that, Tig was gone.

Happy downed his beer and turned to leave the clubhouse.

The ride home was even shorter, he pulled up to his house and it just seemed different. The front porch light was on but the lights inside were off. He walked up to the door and used his keys to unlock the door. Inside it smelt of air freshener and bleach, Ara had been cleaning again. He moved to the kitchen and opened the fridge to pull out another beer. He looked around his kitchen and then into the back yard, it was just different, he could not explain how but he felt it. His eyes settled on the vase of lilies, just like the one he had given her the day that they had met. Happy smiled thinking about the day he first met her.

He moved through the living room, she had been on a cleaning kick and the living room was spotless. He liked that she was as big of a neat freak as he was, maybe a little more so. He turned into the hallway and started towards the room he knew she would be sleeping in, but he stopped halfway down and looked into the room that used to belong to his mother. The bed stripped; her belongings gone, as he asked her to do. He really did not care where they were he just did not want to see them, and at that moment, it hit him….

_My mother is dead_

He turned out of the room with a knot in his stomach and continued to their room. When he opened the door, he could see her silhouette on the bed with the moonlight coming in through a crack in the blinds. Her hair was in that messy bun with wisps of strands hanging out by her ears. She had soft breaths that went with the rise and fall of her chest.

He moved to the side of the bed, removed his vest and clothes, and crawled into the bed with her. He moved close to her and she turned into him just as he started to pull her close. As he lay in the bed, her soft breaths against his neck felt warm and he drifted off to sleep.

Happy woke to the sounds of the garbage truck in the street; Ara was already gone from the bed.

_Doesn't the woman ever sleep in?_

Happy got up, dressed, and padded down the hallway to the kitchen where he found her sitting at the table reading the paper and drinking coffee. He grabbed a cup for himself and walked over to her to look at the paper over her shoulder. The lilies were in full bloom and in the center of the table. He placed a kiss on her shoulder, moved to the other side of the table, and looked at her.

"Where did the flowers come from?"

Ara looked at him startled with a hint of bewilderment for a minute before she looked down and started to play with her coffee cup.

"I thought you sent them." She continued to look at her cup.

Happy suddenly had a sinking feeling that something was not right and her actions just now did nothing to alleviate them.

"No." Happy had the hard set to his jaw and looked at Ara.

Within seconds she got up grabbed the vase and threw them in the garbage can outside. He continued to look at her as she walked up to the counter, looked out at the garden, her chest rose, and fell with the deep breaths she was taking.

"He's here."

Happy stood up and came up behind her and caged her in with his arms, he wanted her to know that she was not going anywhere and he waited for her to tell him more.

"This is how it starts. The flowers, it is the first 'gesture' as he called them, I do not know what he is going to do next. But ultimately he is going to show up." She continued to look out the window once again not sharing her thoughts with him clearly in a far off place.

He had a feeling in his gut, something was coming and soon.


	15. Chapter 15

**Hello! Hello! Things are finally starting to pick up again, remember I told you some of my previous work was deleted, well it turns out I have actually thought of a few different things to happen, so I am leaning towards it was a blessing. Sorry it has taken me so long to post but you all are gems sticking with me! With that being said: I do not own SOA, except for Ara, this is all a ficticuos work of my imagination. Happy reading!**

**Chapter 15**

**Life moves on**

ARA POV~

The sound of exhaust pipes and the rumble of motorcycle engines could be heard coming down the street and she knew that Happy was coming along with some of the crew he was brothers with. Yet Ara continued to clean around the house. It had been a week since the flowers. No further gestures, no sign of Michael, it made her leery of what was coming, he was no longer following what he did before.

_He knows about Happy…_

With a sinking feeling in her gut, she sat on the chair in the living room. He would be angry and an obsessive angry stalker had different rules, in fact, he had no rules now. She had angered him no doubt.

Sinking back in her chair she stared off at the wall thinking of all the possible scenarios that could happen, being so distracted she failed to hear Happy and Tig come in.

"Why so distant sweetheart?" Tig sat down on the couch looking at her.

Ara quickly snapped out of her trance.

"Visiting old ghosts and dreading new ones I guess."

Tig looked at her and knew what she was referring to, the whole club knew now. They all had 'Ara watch' as they put it, but it only made her feel like a burden.

_Things would have been so much easier if I would have just run…_

Happy crossed the room, grabbed her chin, and gently made her look at him.

"I know that look, whatever your thinking stop." He closed the small distance between them and kissed her.

Tig sat awestruck, Happy had hardly shown emotion yet when it came to Ara it was clear that he had a lot of emotion, and he was not afraid to show it when she was concerned.

Happy pulled away from the kiss that he had initiated.

Ara could only give a smile.

"Where you going today?" Ara knew he was leaving, he always left a prospect in the driveway but when he went away out of town, he had a patch brother stay with her, and being Tig was here she knew he was leaving.

"Oakland."

"And Tig is my babysitter this time?" She looked up at Happy with a sweet sarcastic smile.

"Ah come on sweetie you gotta make it sound so terrible?" Tig asked with a grin.

She smiled at Tig, "I am happy that you would take such a perilous task as to protect the little woman." Ara had a hint of sarcasm in her voice that either man could not help but notice.

Both men stood looking at her as she stood up and headed down the hallway towards the rooms.

HAPPY POV~

This had to stop. She was lashing out at him. He knew she did not like having protective detail but it was for her own good. The last time she thought to protect everyone she took off, and took with her his kid, who was not even born yet, she was not going to run again and Happy was going to make sure of it. She could throw all the sarcastic comments she wanted, she was not ever going to be without a son on her tail, prospect or patched brother she was under guard.

Happy had an implacable resolve; no harm was going to come to her while she was on his watch. He watched her gaze off in thought as she walked out of the room. She was thinking again, and he could tell that she was not happy about it.

He got up and followed her down the hallway that she went. He leaned his hip against the jamb of the door and watched as she was curling her long hair.

He loved the curve of her back, the length of her hair, the color of her eyes, all personal thoughts that no one would ever know, maybe her, but no one else. He moved closer to her slender frame that had a hint of a curve to her soft belly. No one in the club knew about the baby, they knew about the psycho fuck that was stalking her, but not this. He was not ready to share this with the guys just yet; he had a hard enough time that someone other than him was in his house guarding the mother of his child.

As he got close to her, he buried his head between her neck and her shoulder inhaling the flowery scent that was hers alone.

"And where are we going?" He continued to smell her hair and rub his lips against her neck.

"I have the job interview with the local hospital today, remember?" She looked at his eyes in the mirror.

"I remember, I thought we decided you were going to wait on the job, till we got things taken care of here." He never looked away from her gaze; she was one of the rare few who refused to be intimidated by his own gaze.

"No Happy, you decided, I never agreed to that." She turned as one of her curls fell down her shoulder. "Besides Tara went through all that trouble to get me in on such a short notice, I am not missing this interview."

He moved closer towards her. He was a mere inches from her. His eyes moved around her face, a face that showed no hint of caving to his demands. His arms snaked around her back and drew her closer to him. He placed his lips on hers and began to invade the warmth of her mouth.

His silent obsession was Ara. It had been since the day he met her and he poured everything he felt into the kiss he now gave her. He could feel her small soft hands wrapping around his back and move up towards his shoulder blades.

When he had kissed her to his satisfaction, he let go of her and left the room. He continued until he got to the front of the house where Tig was sitting watching TV.

"Watch her."

"You go it brother."

"Nothing touches her." Happy stayed in place and looked Tig dead in the eyes.

Tig only could stare into the hard glare of the enforcer. He meant what he said, and Tig shook his head. "I got it brother. Take care of the guys on this one; the Niners haven't been easy these past few runs."

Happy shook his head in agreement and walked out the door. Two days was going to be a long time before he was home again.

HAPPY POV~

Happy rode into the club parking lot where the other guys were waiting.

"Got your lady squared away?" it was Opie.

Happy gave a nod of his head and moved to place a roll on the back of his bike as well.

_I need to find that fucker and gut him slowly. I have plans for that asshole._

"Let's move out!" It was Clay in his normal booming voice that demanded notice. "You good there Happy?"

Happy shook his head; he wished everyone would stop asking that fucking question. He was fine and he would be great once he got rid of someone.

One by one, the bikes in the lot begin to start and pull out of the parking lot followed by the black van that was never too far behind on this big of a run.

The sound of the group of bikes was like a thunderous vibration through the streets of Charming as they left town.

_This is going to be a long two days. _

ARA POV~

"Alright, let's go." She smiled as she tucked her purse under her arm.

"And where are we going princess?" Tig looked up from his spot on the couch.

"I have a job interview and it is in 45 minutes, so get your ass up. I will be in the car."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up there princess, does Happy know about this?" He looked around the house quickly as if Happy would manifest out of thin air.

"Of course he does, what you think we were talking about in the bathroom earlier, he doesn't like it but he knows. I am going to tell you what I told him, Tara went through the trouble of getting me this interview and I am not going to miss it. Now get up or I will leave without you and don't think that I wouldn't do it." Ara started walking towards the door.

"Hold up, let me call Hap first." He pulled out his cell phone.

"Tick, tick, tick Tig! My car is starting in exactly 45 seconds with or without you." Ara opened the door and walked out briskly towards her car.

"Unbelievable." Tig scrambled to get his shoes and belongings as he chased Ara out of the house.

"Knew you'd make it!" She gave a bright smile at Tig and started the car.

"You did huh?" Tig looked at her.

"Never had a doubt!" She reversed the car out of the driveway and proceeded to head to St. Thomas hospital.

HAPPY POV~

He kept an eye on the guys as the transaction for the run went down. He was good at what he did and right now, he was guardian and enforcer for his brothers.

"So tell me brother, how you been gettin' along?" The thick Irish accent was unmistakable.

Happy shook his head subtly, knowing that he made it through because Ara had taken control of the situation.

"Sorry for the loss of your ma." He placed a hand on his shoulder. "If you need anything brother, let me know."

Happy shook his head in acknowledgement; he could not even make it through a run without his thoughts going back to his little flower. He wondered what she was doing and how well Tig responded to the bombshell that Ara dropped on him with the interview. Not nice he knew but he had to keep him on his toes.

With the final thought his attention went back into focus on what was happening at present.

ARA POV~

"Well Ms. Flowers St. Thomas would be very lucky to have someone with your experience and talent and we would love for you to join our team here." Margaret extended her hand.

"Thank you I really look forward to getting back into a hospital setting." Ara flashed a smile at the formal administrator.

"One more thing Ara, Dr. Knowles says that you are going to need some time off in the future? She says that you are pregnant."

"Uh, yes, I hope that won't affect the job offer, the pregnancy is still new and I am sort of a new mother as well."

_How the hell did Tara know?_

"Of course it wouldn't. Someone with your background, well it would be a crime to lose you to another facility." She gave a soft smile towards Ara.

"Thank you, I really look forward to starting. When would I get to start, I really would like to start getting to know your policies and systems here."

"Well with the systems you have worked with in your previous hospitals, you will have no problem acclimating, our system is about two years older than what you are used to. How does two weeks from today sound? I hear you and your fiancée are still dealing with a loss in the family."

"Yes we just lost his mother. Well I look forward to the new challenge and setting here at St. Thomas. Thank you again for this opportunity."

_Fiancée? Where did she get that idea? Tara has some major explaining to do!_

She walked out into the lobby area where Tig jumped up to greet her.

"How did it go?" He smiled at her.

"I got the job, start in two weeks."

"Well let's celebrate beers at the clubhouse!"

Clearly Happy has not told the guys yet about the baby. Ara just smiled and Tig.

"I am so tired Tig, with all that has been going on I was hoping to get a nice long nap in before Happy gets home tonight. We are going to go through his mothers things tonight."

"Sure doll." He motioned for her to exit the hospital as he held the door for her.

The drive home was short and when they pulled up a box was sitting at the door. She suddenly had a sinking feeling.

"Tig, maybe we should go to the clubhouse."

"Nah doll, this is why you have me. I'm gonna check it out, you do not get out of this car, you hear me?"

Ara nodded her head, for once she was not going to argue with anything he said. As Tig got out of the car, she locked the doors and scanned the yard.

Tig inched closer to the package, no labels, and no identifiers. Closer still he moved. He pulled his knife out and used it to open the lid.

"Now that is just fucking sick…"

Inside was the neighbor's cat that was strangled with a pearl necklace. On the inside of the lid four words were scrawled…

GET RID OF HIM

Tig knew that this was in reference to Happy and this was going to set him off. He moved the box to the garage and took Ara back into the house after a sweep. He sat on the couch waiting for the killer to come home. This was not going to be good.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello! Hello! Its a short chapter, but we are nearing an end I promise, and I think it is one you guys will never see coming! With that being said...disclaimer: I do not own SOA or any of the characters, except for Ara! So enjoy this fictitous element of my imagination! Happy reading! **

**Chapter 16**

**Pearls and Plans**

Making the phone call to Happy and telling him about the 'present' was not a fun one, he knew exactly what was going to happen, and the crew was on their way home. Tig was a pit bull when it came to the protection of Ara, he saw that she was truly scared to the point of terror of this person, and it only made him get in line on the slaughter-the-sick-fuck parade. The cat was a sick move, even for him that was sick. She paced the house constantly looking out the windows, and the fact that she refused to sleep in the room by herself led Tig to believe how afraid she truly was. She had finally fallen asleep in the recliner.

Tig made a sweep of the front door and locks, glanced out the window and moved to scan the rest of the house. He made his rounds around the house, with his gun not too far from reach. That is when he heard the rumble of the bikes and he came back to the living room.

He stood with his gun drawn, he knew it was the guys but he was prepared none the less. The door lock was fumbled with and when it opened the chain had stopped it. Tig popped out from behind the door.

"Open the door." It was Happy.

"Just had to be sure brother." He shut it and removed the chain to the door.

Happy walked in and looked at Ara sleeping in the recliner.

"She fell asleep about an hour ago. Package is out in the garage. I just did a sweep, want to go out there?"

Happy nodded his head and Tig followed him to the garage.

HAPPY POV~

Happy opened the box with his gloved hand and pulled out the cat. He recognized the pearl necklace right away; it was from the jewelry box his mother had given to Ara. The jewelry box that was in their room. This meant, the fucker had been inside the house. His gut started to boil with rage; he was going to hurt something.

"Had to of happened while we were at the hospital, I had seen that cat this morning when I got to your house."

Happy put the cat back in the box and then looked at the lid with the scrawls on it. The tick in his jaw tightened and his eyes got a murderous glaze to them. He shut the box.

"Get rid of it." He pushed the box towards a prospect. "So this fucker not only knows she is here, but he was in our home?" His eyes glanced at the men surrounding him. The prospect grabbed the box and left with it.

"We locked up Hap, I know we did. I don't know what to say Bro." Tig looked him in the eye.

"Did she see it?"

"No, I did a sweep and got her inside than locked down."

ARA POV~

Whatever was in the box had all the guys in a mood. Ara never saw it but she was sure it was Michael and at this point he was capable of anything.

_Over 10 years of running and letting him ruin my life…_

Ara could not get the knot in her gut to let loose, she had a feeling that whatever was going to happen was going to happen soon. She moved around the house, she could hear the guys talking in the garage, she heard Happy with his raspy voice and she knew he was nearing his wits end with this. Perhaps he finally thought she was to much trouble after all.

Her hand moved to her stomach and covered where the baby was growing.

_It is more than just me now…_

Ara needed something, something to help get her out of this funk, she moved to her purse and dug out the cell phone. And started pacing the living room, everyone was wound up.

HAPPY POV~

Back and forth, he paced the garage. The guys, his brothers, his friends, his family for all these years now watched with careful eyes trying to judge the mood that he was in. He was like a caged animal and no one knew whom he was going to attack next.

He stood and started to pace again. He had to outthink the asshole, he just had to come up with a plan to find him.

"Juice."

"Yeah brother."

"Find me everything you can on Michael Johnson. Last known whereabouts, family, credit cards, everything. If he sneezes I want to hear about the brand of Kleenex he used to wipe his nose." Happy's raspy voice was harsh and he pulled out his cigarettes and lit one as he watched Juice stand up and leave back to the clubhouse.

This was not going to be some cat and mouse game, Happy was on the hunt for a perverted sick fuck, and his ending was not going to be pretty. Yeah, he had big plans for Michael and he was just getting started.

ARA POV~

"So you'll come?" Ara was chewing on her fingernail waiting anxiously for an answer. Her eyes lit up and she cracked a smile. "Thank you so much!" She hung up the phone and gave a smile. Oh yes, things were definitely going to be liven up. Her plan was put into motion.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hello hello! I have not forgotten you, I promise! I am working and going to school so unfortunately fanfiction has to take a back burner for a bit :-( if you have stuck with me you guys are gems! Here is the next section to the story of Ara and her biker Happy. What will happen now? Who did she call? When will Michael show up?! It is all below and waiting for you to read, with that being said DISCLAIMER TIME! I do not own SOA or any of the characters, except for Ara, Bud and now Bree :-) Happy reading!**

**Chapter 17**

**And We All Fall Down**

ARA POV~

Happy had not taken the information well at all, he actually told her to cancel but she refused, she needed this and nothing was going to stop her. She stood at the end of the terminal pacing like a caged animal, for two days she waited and now it was here. Tig, Juice and the new prospect were all waiting behind her watching her as she was about to crawl out of her skin.

That is when she saw Bree coming out of the tunnel from the plane. When they saw each other, there was no hiding their huge smiles.

"BREE!" She started waving and jumping, her best friend was finally here, and she would help her get through this craziness and acclimate to not running.

"ARA! I can't believe I am back in California!" She rushed up and hugged her friend.

They were hugging and giggling when Ara noticed something…someone, out of the corner of her eye with the all too familiar black leather vest.

"Uh Bree, do you want to tell me something?" She pushed away just enough from her friend to hold her at arm's length but refusing to relinquish the hold on her as if she would disappear if she let go. Bree only smiled and that is when a clean shaved short-haired Bud walked up behind Bree.

"Damn woman, did you pack enough?!" Bud dropped the bags at their feet and gave Ara a hug, which only added to the confusion Ara felt at that moment.

"Hi Bud. I hope the flight was good." She eyed her friend who just smiled back at her with a casual shrug of her shoulders. Bree had a lot of explaining to do.

HAPPY POV~

"Got him!" Juice yelled from his desk in the club.

Happy walked over to him and looked at the screen that his fingers were madly flying about the keyboard.

"What do you mean you got him?" Happy's raspy voice came out in a quiet menacing stretch.

"He bought a plane ticket to northern California two weeks ago and then rented a car and had a series of charges at gas stations down the coast to here." Juice studied the screen as though it was in a language that only he could understand.

"And?" Happy added with an impatient note.

"Christ Hap, he charged a hotel room here three weeks ago and it is a current room." Juice eyed Happy warily to see how he would process the information.

The clenching in Happy's jaw was unmistakable, he had intent in his eyes and knew that all hell was about to break lose. "Get me the address...now." the glint in his eyes was one to be feared.

Juice scribbled on a piece of paper and handed it to Happy. He looked at it and then looked up at Juice and around the room at Chibs and Jax.

ARA POV~

"Ok woman, what is up with Bud, and when the hell did all this happen?" Ara eyed her friend cautiously.

Bree could only smile and at Ara's insistent gaze, she gave a giggle and started to talk.

"It started back when you came to New Orleans."

"I thought you didn't really care for him like that?" Ara was smiling and waiting for her friend to spill the details.

"I didn't…at first. We went head to head that night he cornered me in my house. And then out of the blue he just kissed me."

"You're kidding?" Ara had a non-believing tone with a look of puzzlement.

"Nope, than I smacked him one. And he kissed me again."

"Are you serious?" Ara could not believe what her friend was telling her.

"Yep, so he told me that any woman that was willing to stand up to him and smack him one, had to be worth getting to know better. And I told him that he could drive his bike off a short bridge and to forget to swim back up, that I wasn't interested."

Bree moved across the room and started to rearrange some of the items on top of the dresser. She continued her story. "Needless to say he was pretty persistent. Stopped by the house every day, and called every morning and evening, how he found out my phone number is beyond me. So one day as he was waiting for me at my house one day after work, I walked right up to him as he was sitting on his bike and asked him why the hell he was so annoying."

Ara could only smile as her friend recounted the beginning an unexpected relationship. She sat on the edge of the bed and hugged a pillow as she smiled at her friend. Bree absently smiled to herself as she was thinking and came over to the opposite side of the bed that Ara was sitting at and plopped down across from her.

"And what did Mr. Tough Stuff have to say?"

"He told me that he was interested in me and he wanted one date to prove to me that he was right. So I told him if he really wanted to go out with me he had to cut his hair off and shave off the gnome growing on his chin and then I would consider it. And he gave me a surly look, mumbled something and drove off."

"Clearly he went through with it!" Ara started to giggle.

"I honestly didn't think he would, until he showed up the next day waiting for me, I thought he finally gave up when I made that demand. Sort of counted on it, I finally caved after he cleaned up and I also wanted to shut him up from his persistent nagging, he clearly was not going to quit anytime soon. We have been out a couple of times since then. When I told him I was coming here to stay with you for awhile, he insisted on coming."

"You've slept with him didn't you!?" Ara's jaw dropped. "I know that look you have right now, you totally did him!"

Bree broke out into a big smile. "You got me, only once though! He rather grows on you once you are pass the outer exterior and surliness. Ok, enough about me, what the hell is going on with you here? I have never seen you so torn about something, you aren't thinking of running again, because we talked about this!"

Ara jumped up, threw the pillow across the bed, and moved across the bedroom that she and Happy shared together, moving things here and there and repositioning them once more before moving to her next item. Bree sat on the bed and watched her like a caged tiger trying to figure out the turmoil that was rolling inside her friend.

"I don't know, I just didn't expect…_THIS!" _her hands gestured to the surrounding room.

"This?! A bedroom? You lost me babe!"

"Relationship, permanent housing, a baby, the club! All of it, it is kind of a lot in a short time. I don't know if I am ready for all of this. And Happy can be a lot to take in sometimes, he is so overbearing and with this whole Michael mess he is almost intolerable. There is no alone time, one of the club members is constantly here if Hap isn't."

"So what you basically saying is that you are afraid of commitment and actually having 'the dream' for yourself, even after all you have been through?" Bree threw up air quotes' when she mentioned the dream and raised an eyebrow as she questioned her friend.

"I know it sounds crazy, to finally have what I have always talked about wanting and then to question it like I do." Ara finally let it sink in what she had been feeling all along. Indecisive, confused, yet hopeful.

_Could I be happy, could this work?_

Ara chewed her lip and look absently to the walls of the room they were in, she could hear someone moving about in the living room and knew that it was Bud and one of the patch brothers, which one she did not know. She heard them laughing and knew that they were catching up since the New Orleans trip.

"It sounds like the only thing between you and happiness right now is.._you."_ Bree smiled at her friend and helped her move things around the room. "Michael will be taken care of and you won't be scared anymore. You are going to have a healthy happy baby and a great job. This house is amazing and it will only get better. No more running, no more fear. You just have to realize that it is all going to work out and let yourself enjoy it."

Ara continued to rearrange with a pensive look on her face. Still something in her gut told her that something was wrong and it was real close.

"Did you bring it Bree?" Ara then gave a serious look to her friend.

"I did, it's in my bag. Come on, let's go get it, I want to make sure you remember how to use it."

HAPPY POV~

Happy, Chibs, Juice and Jax pulled up to a dump of a hotel on the south side of Charming. They went into the office to find a grubby overweight slob of a man who looked like he had not showered in a week and he had the smell to match.

"Ay, looking for a patron of yours." Chibs dinged the bell to get his attention.

The hotel manager looked up as if he did not care. "Don't give out information on our clients, have a great day." He turned back to watching his television and chugging on his beer can.

Just that quick Happy jumped the desk, pulled the man up by his messy tank top, and shoved him against the wall with his forearm pushing against his throat. The man was caught off guard and quickly had a look of fear as he stared into the pensive brown eyes of Happy.

"Let's try this again fat boy. We are looking for someone who is staying here." His raspy voice was low and caused a chill to run down the man's spine.

"I'd tell him what he wants to know, Happy here is not a man who likes to wait for answers." Jax stood behind smiling as he leaned on the counter watching the scene play out.

"Under the desk, right there." The man stuttered and pointed a shaking finger at the shelf below the counter.

Chibs reached below and found the book that he was referring too. He flipped open to the last page... "Room 21, bastard even used his own name."

Happy let go of the man and turned to look at the book and the room number that he was in. With a menacing glare, he looked at the man and lowered his voice again looking him straight in the eye.

"You saw nothing, got it?" the man shook his head quickly and watched the group of men leave the small space and head towards the room.

The four men approached the room with guns drawn. Two on the right side of the door and two on the right. Juice rapped on the door with his gun and after moments of no reply Happy kicked the door in and they all flanked in to the room.

"Christ, what the hell died in here?!" Chibs scrunched his nose and looked around the room. It was total chaos. Garbage, moldy food, clothing everywhere, but what caught the attention of the guys was the wall of pictures that Michael had put up. All of them had Ara in them; she was around town, in their house, with his mother, and with Happy. His jaw clenched as he saw some of the pictures where his face had been scratched out and replaced with a photo of Michael himself.

"What a sick fuck." Jax was looking at the photos as well.

They followed the mural of obsession and as it went on, they started to have words written on them. One photo showed Ara walking down Main Street in the same outfit that he met her in and the words _mine_ were scribbled and scratched through the center of it. The one that got Happy was the picture of them making love in their room where Michael had replaced his face with his own and it was followed by several pictures of them hugging or kissing and each picture he scribbled a word across Happy…_die…thief…your dead._ Happy was ready to explode.

"Tear this shit down and get rid of everything in this room, he was _NEVER_ here, got it?! Juice get into the system and make it like he was never here." The guys started to move around the room, Chibs started to rip down the pictures. Jax grabbed Happy and pulled him out of the room.

"Get it together bro, we knew he was a sick fuck, now we gotta find him before he hurts Ara. You need to keep your cool and save it for him when you finally get a hold of him." Jax looked into the eyes of Happy, trying to talk him down from his murderous rage that was boiling and only needed one small outlet to be unleashed.

Happy shook his head and went back into the hotel room to help get rid of the evidence of Michael's sick mind.

ARA POV~

Happy had been gone most of the day and now it was sunset. Bud was in the living room watching T.V. and Bree was in the kitchen cooking supper. Ara had not felt well and decided to lie down, morning sickness was not her friend and it came with a vengeance this evening. She had been in bed for about an hour before she drifted off.

She felt the tender touch of lips touch her back and small kisses moved up to the curve of her neck. She smiled and rolled onto her back but kept her eyes closed. She felt his rough hands that she loved so much touch her ankles and start to move up her thighs. He moved her tank top aside and started to kiss the skin of her stomach. She gave a small moan of pleasure and enjoyed the soft kisses and caresses that he was doing to her body.

"I missed you. Took you long enough to get back."  
Still the kisses continued, Ara moved her hands to his t-shirt on his back and used her nails to gently scratch his back like he liked. She trailed her hands to the front of his shirt and curved them around to his neck and up to his head where she felt…hair? She felt a ball of dread as she felt the hair between her fingers.

"I missed you too."

_Not Happy._

Her eyes quickly snapped open only to see Michael looking directly down at her, she started to scream but a cloth came over her mouth, she attempted to fight but soon the world went black…


	18. Chapter 18

**I have to give a quick shout out to my very faithful readers, without your guy's encouraging comments and following of my story I don't think I would have the ambition to finish it! Thank you CrazyAboutFic, wishuy, Leon's Angel, Venetiangrl92, otte1978, ChloeTeller2k11, ILoveAnime89, and dark-lelu. You are appreciated by me! Merry Christmas!**

**A/N: I do not own SOA or any of the characters, this is simply a ficticious story from my mind. I do however own, Ara, Bree, and Bud. So with that being said, lets find out what happens now that Ara is caught! Happy reading!**

**Chapter 18 **

**Well…ain't that a bitch?**

HAPPY POV~

He entered the house with the sense of dread that he had been feeling for the whole ride home, they got the hotel room cleaned up with all evidence destroyed. Another step closer to finding him. Yet, why couldn't he shake this feeling of dread?

Pulling up to the house struck him as wrong, he knew she had company, a brother from the New Orleans chapter was here with her best friend, he was a fierce protector than any brother at this moment. Ara loved Bree, and Bud really felt something for Bree, which meant he would guard both as if his life depended on it.

When they entered the house, the game was playing on the T.V. it had a tipped over beer can with the liquid pooled on the table and some soaked into the carpet. At this site the four of the men pulled their weapons and continued forward. They moved to the kitchen where a pot of water was boiling to the point there was no water left in the pan, veggies were chopped on the cutting board and there was a broken glass in the center of the room. Happy's gut only felt tighter as he started to realize what happened, someone had taken both Bud and Bree. He quickly turned and swiftly moved down the hallway to his and Ara's room, when he opened the door his breath left his body as he realized there was blood splattered all around their bedroom room.

ARA POV~

She smelt the burning first, almost like burnt hair? Sulfur? Metal maybe? She willed her eyes to open and take in what had happened.

_Happy kissing my body like he usually did…._

_Grasping his head, only to find…..a head full of hair…_

Her eyes widened to full realization that what she had saw was not a dream, Michael had found her, and in her bedroom no less. She fully snapped awake to take in her surroundings. She looked to see Bud handcuffed to a chair and Bree next to him in the same position. She looked at her own restraints to find that she was sitting on the floor handcuffed to a chain link fence along the wall. She looked around the room to find him….Michael.

_Oh god, where is he?!_

As she looked around she did not see he was in the room and that was when she chanced it…

"Bree? Sweetie, wake up. Bud? You gotta wake up bro, the ladies are in need of some rescuing here! WAKE UP! Come on guys, you need to wake up…" she looked around frantically to make sure no one heard her as she pleaded with her best friend and the SAMCRO brother to hear her. She struggled to stand to where she was chained and noted that it was a dingy dark room, some kind of warehouse room. She didn't recognize it at all.

Just as she despaired of them hearing her, she saw Bree start to wake up with a wince but still not opening her eys. She felt a glimmer of hope when Bree lifted her head to start to look around dazed.

"Bree, honey you gotta get up…come one Bree get up!" She was frantic for her friend to get up.

HAPPY POV~

"Good news boys, is that it's a fucking dog that he used to spray the room with blood, no doubt to throw us off. We found the dog in the back yard. Bad news, as we all knew, he took all three of them." Chibs circled the room and came back to where Happy and Jax were standing.

"Did he leave a note, or anything that would lead us to where he has taken them?" Jax looked at Chibs with set eyes.

"No' brother, nothin'" Chibs had a look of regret in his eyes that he could not provide the information that his brothers so desperately needed to hear.

Happy stood in the kitchen, trying to retrace the steps. He could tell so far that Bud was taken by surprise first; there was a small splatter of blood across the recliner where Bud was sitting before he was knocked out. When he got to the kitchen, he found a broken wine bottle and glasses, this had to be Bree, Ara was carrying his child and would not be drinking, and Bree would not go down easy. When he got to the room, he saw the bed sheets all ruffled up, Ara was a type A personality, which meant everything was exactly where it was supposed to be, the messed bedding indicated that she must have been sleeping in the bed when she was taken and she was surprised. The splattering on the walls had no real pattern, which meant it was a hurried half ass attempt to throw them off.

Happy stood glancing at all the details, racking his brain to put the clues together. He was wandering the room when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Chibs.

ARA POV~

Fear skittered up her spine. Her worst fears realized, he finally caught her, and her friends were with her. Would he hurt them? She prayed that he wouldn't, and that he wouldn't hurt her.

"What the fuck happened, and where the hell are we?" Bree was finally waking up.

"He's got us Bree! You got to wake Bud up, we have to try and get out of here before he comes back, he isn't here as far as I can tell." Ara continued to look around as if he would walk in any moment.

"Where is that fucker?!" Bree was looking around and attempting to free her hands that were bound by tape to the frame of the chair.

"I don't know, he isn't in here right now, I don't know if he is watching us or how long till he comes back. Bree we got to try and wake Bud up again, it's going to take all three of us to get out of this mess." Ara was looking at her friend who shook her head in agreement; she had to keep Bree focused.

Bree started to toe her way to Bud, he was just a few scant inches out of her reach and she was straining to get to him.

"Bud, please wake up!" Bree was trying to get down low enough to see his face as he was slumped forward. The blood caked on his skull worried them both and they had to get him awake.

"Bud, god damn it! Wake up!" Bree started to have a hint of fear in her face and this made Ara's heart thunder in worry for her, Bree couldn't lose focus now if Bud was hurt.

"Bud if you don't wake up, I am never going to sleep with you again!" Bree was on the verge of yelling, anxiety was present and Ara feared she could easily go into hysteria if he was not alright.

HAPPY POV~

Happy stood on the front of his steps, Jax had since called the club and some more of the members were on their way. He inhaled on his cigarettes. That was when he noticed his mean neighbor who was a widow was walking towards him.

_What the fuck does this old bat want?_

She was not a friendly one, she really didn't care for Happy. Not in the mood to deal with her he waited to see what she wanted. When she finally reached the steps her old eyes looked into his without fear.

"You and I have never seen eye to eye, but your fiancée was kind to me when I needed help. She is a true saint. If not for her, I would not be standing here. I did not call the cops, I know about your club and what they are capable of. And I don't think the cops will be any good in _this_ situation." Her gaze never wavered, she was resolved in her decision.

Happy only nodded and waited for her to share whatever information that she had.

The old woman pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to him. Happy opened it and looked up.

"I only saw him put her in the van, if anyone else was in the home I do not know what came of them. I know _HE_ took her. He has never been around here. She was unconscious as far as I could tell, I started for the van but when he saw me he sped off."

Happy listened carefully and that was when a couple of the members came out and stood beside him.

"The van was a blue color. It had gears on the side and the initials B.I.M. That is the number to the license plate on the vehicle. That is all I know. The man however was in similar build to you. Not as muscular, his head was covered with a hat and he wore dark clothes. This is all I know."

Happy only stared as the woman turned and started to walk back to her home. Once she was a few feet away from the house, she turned around to look at the men standing on the porch.

"I can tell you one more thing; I don't intend to call the cops." She started to turn to walk back to her home.

"Why?" Jax asked with a curious look to his face.

The old woman turned once again to look at them.

"Ara always looked haunted, like she could never escape a demon. I believe this man is her demon. Cops won't find her in time and if something should happen to her, I know she will be avenged. I have given you everything I know; now you should be looking for her." With that final statement, the old woman walked back to her house and closed the door behind her.

Happy never cared for the old woman, never even knew her name but now he felt a sense of debt to her for this momentous piece of information. He handed the paper to Juice, and Juice immediately headed into the house to look for information on the van and owner.

ARA POV~

Bree's eyes started to tear up when Bud still did not move.

"Bud please, your being a dick, now wake up!" that was when she saw a hint of movement from his fingers and eyebrows, and hope sprung across her face. Suddenly she heard him speak.

"God damn woman, you're a nurse, aren't you supposed to be compassionate?" Bud's voice was gravelly and a little low but he started to move his eyes slowly.

"Bud, oh god, can you wake up? How are you feeling? Is your vision ok? Any nausea? Sensation to vomit? Do you have a headache?" Bree's questions came out so fast, she was clearly more panicked than she wanted to reveal.

"Bree, you gotta calm down honey, he is waking up. Let's give him a minute ok?" Ara looked at her friend with the most reassuring look she could.

"I am going to be ok Bree, I heard you threaten never to sleep with me again, so I had to wake up. Admit it, you like me." Bud's eyes were finally open and he gave a halfhearted grin at Bree.

"You're an ass, if you didn't have a concussion I would smack you one."

"Well it's a good thing I have one, now you have to be nice to me, and take care of me. And I hear kisses can have a placebo effect and make things all better." He was smiling more and as hard as she tried to fight it, Bree was smiling back at him.

HAPPY POV~

"It Bulldog Industrial Machinery. The van is a company vehicle. I checked the company's system, and there was a couple new hires this past month, this one sounds suspicious. John Michaelson. Same birthday, height, hair and eye color. Got a job around the same time the hotel room was checked out to Michael Johnson, he even listed the hotel as his residence. I think it's safe to say it is him." Juice was looking at the screen.

"No' a verra smart boy. Did he think we wouldn't find him?" Chibs looked at his brothers as his hand rested on Juice's shoulder.

"Get the address. We go there now." Jax turned and looked at the guys.

"Let's go get our people back." Jax said as he looked at Happy. With a curt nod, Juice wrote down the address and handed it off to Jax. He looked and passed it to Happy who then handed it off to the other guys.

The thunder from the motors of the bike's was unmistakable, the club was on the move and they had a destination.

ARA POV~

"Ok, try again." Bud bit out between clenched teeth as he strained to reach for Bree's hands that contained a sharp piece of metal that would help them release their duct tape bonds.

Bree strained to turn her chair that, to their dismay, was chained to a table not more three feet from Bud's who was chained to another table. The tables were also bolted to the floor.

"A little more doll…" Bud's face also strained to reach her. And that was when he was able to get the piece of metal.

Bud worked to free his bonds, once free he rushed to Bree and freed her as well. They gave an embrace that told Ara that they were more into each other than they let anyone believe. As they looked into each others eyes Bree smiled.

"Let's get Ara and get the hell outta here!"

"Couldn't agree more woman, I am going to come back with the club once you two are safe, and we are going to fuck him up! He is going to pay for this!" He grabbed Bree's hands and pulled her in the direction of Ara.

The escape was flawless, the only obstacle, Ara wasn't taped down, she was cuffed and chained down. They scrambled to look for a key or anything that would help release her but to all of their distress, she was not getting free.

"Ara.." Bud looked into her eyes defeated.

"It's ok Bud, you need to get Bree out of here!" She looked them both in the eyes willing them to leave her behind.

"Fuck that Ara! I am not living you here with this sick fuck!" Bree shook her head viscously resolved that she was not going to leave her behind.

"You guys need to leave while he is gone, we don't know when he is coming back and you need to be out of here before he does. Find the guys and come back for me." Ara was pleading with her friends to leave.

"He isn't going to hurt her, if he is as obsessed as we all think he is, he isn't going to hurt her." Again Bree shook her head as he was pulling on her arms to leave.

"I am counting on that, please Bree, you are my only hope! Please go now!" Ara's eyes brimmed with tears and Bree looked torn at the decision she now had to make.

"We will do more good for her by leaving and bringing back the guys! Come one Bree, for once in your stubborn life listen to someone else!" He was now pulling harder on her.

"No I am not leaving her!" Bree started to pry Bud's hands off of her.

"Take her Bud, _FORCE HER TO LEAVE!_ Find Happy, and come back for me!" That was when they heard the hard slam of a door and footsteps on a metal.

Bud grabbed Bree and whispered something in her ear and she stilled and looked towards the sound and back at Ara, finally agreeing to leave for help. She looked one last time at Ara and mouthed '_We'll come back for you'_ and threw up the _I love you _sign and she turned and left with Bud.

Ara's eyes started to flow with tears as she watched them leave. This was it, she was trapped with an animal who wanted nothing more than her. And now he had her. She prayed that he would not hurt her. She looked at it as a 50/50 chance, he was either that obsessed with her that he wouldn't hurt her or he was that upset that this was it and he would kill her. The steps started to get louder and louder. Soon they were outside the door. And that was when she heard his voice that was somewhere between a gravelly whisper of malice and craziness. Slowly the door opened and she saw the shadowed figure.

"Honey, I'm home…"


	19. Chapter 19

_** I know it has been awhile and for that I apoligize, but we are nearing the end and I cannot thank you enough for being faithful to my posts! So now it is disclaimer time!**_

**I do not own SAO or any of its chracters, this is simply a fictitous work of my imagination, I do how ever own Ara, Bud, and Bree. Enjoy my ever faithful lovelies...**

**Chapter 19**

**This is the end my friend…**

**Part I**

Michael walked in to the room and the fear finally allowed her to realize the stark fact of the situation. He had the same build as Happy, the same height, almost the same stance, the only differences they had was Michael had 3-inches of long brown hair, 2 days of growth on his face, but most off all he lacked the intensity that Happy demanded when he came into a room. Nonetheless, Michael's mere presence added to his menacing stance, everything that he stood for radiated from his pores, Ara could feel the lump in her throat grow larger. Those malicious empty eyes bored into Ara's and only promised pain and suffering. He really was a monster.

"Nothing to say love? After all I have done and given to find you?" the tick in his jaw and thickness of speech only added to her fear. Ara's eyes started to brim with more tears.

"I see our guests have left. Too bad, they are going to miss the festivities. You see, you and I are going to start a new chapter of our lives, start fresh…"

"Michael, you can't do this, you are sick right now, you don't know what you are doing.." before she could finish the statement Michael walked up to her and grabbed her throat, and with a hiss bit out between clenched lips…

"You think I haven't thought about this?! _YOU _are the whore, letting that animal touch you and letting his seed, his child take hold in your body!" Michael's eyes were blank, devoid of all feeling and remorse, and this frightened her far more than anything he had ever done to her. The feeling as small drops of saliva hit her face in combination with his vise like grip around the column of her throat as he hissed his sentence only made her eyes widen with far more fear. It finally hit her.

_He can kill me without hesitation now… _

That final thought made Ara cringe, she knew the only way to survive at this point was to play along. With a shaky voice mingled with fear, fear that was now ever present, she started to play his game, she had to survive. For the sake of her unborn child, for the sake of herself, she had to play along. Happy would come, she had to believe that he would come for her. She looked into his eyes and brought her shaking fingers gently placing them on his hand that was squeezing her neck.

"I'm so sorry Michael; I didn't know what to do. After our last game, you left me alone. I was lost, waiting for you to arrive again and lead me in the right direction. I made some wrong moves. Please Michael, from the bottom of my heart I am sorry, please…" she looked at him with pleading eyes, trying to appear truly apologetic. Working to gently pry his fingers from her throat. And to her shocked belief…it worked.

He softened after her plea. His shoulders relaxed as he looked into her eyes. He let his hand fall from her neck to rest on her thigh; the other hand came into the curls of her now tousled hair. He grasped and pulled hard on the handful of curls that he had creating a bit on her scalp, but she said nothing. With an evil glint, he stared into her eyes.

"I knew you were waiting for me." His smile showed that he bought her half-hearted plea.

"Can I please get out of these handcuffs? My hand hurts." She gave him any empty smile.

He continued to look at her, going through some inner turmoil, weighing his answer before finally answering her.

"I won't remove them yet love, you see I can't quiet trust you, but we can move you to a different spot. How about the chair for a change?"

He took her bonds and roughly pulled her to the chair that once held Bree. She thought to fight, to run, but after a few seconds, she knew she would no sooner make it out the door before he would catch her. He shoved her into the chair with a little more aggression than she thought he would. Gathering her wits, it was time to play for her will to survive.

"Michael… how did you find where I was?" she looked at him doe-eyed, encouraging him to tell her. Giving him a false sense of victory.

He moved to the table and removed his coat; he was indeed muscular but sickly looking. He was broken, nothing but a shell of the man he once was when they were younger. She couldn't help but wonder what made this man snap and focus on her the way he did, she was never fake or pretended to be a person she never was. Yet he had chosen to focus on her. She watched as he rubbed his hands around the back of his neck as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"It was not that hard, Ara. Same as I found you all other times. I used Bree…" he looked at her from the side of his eyes and slowly turned his head to catch up with his eyes, all the while he kept looking at her.

"Bree? No, she would never give me away…"

"Oh Ara, if you only knew…" He gave a small laugh as he walked over to her and sat in the chair that had once held Bud. He sat across from her in the small space.

HAPPY POV~

The sound of the bike thundering through the town would cause anyone to stare. The club traveled through town and to the industrial shop that had his woman, their unborn child, a member and a friend of the club. Murder was flowing through his veins.

He could feel his knife against his hip, the gun against his chest, the bike rumbling down the road.

The ride was a new type of hell, he was so close, yet he was so far. Questions plagued his mind…would he get there in time. Was this Michael truly willing to hurt Ara? What was he going to find once he got there? A new kind of hell for sure, he never had anything to lose before, now he had two people to lose.

He pushed his bike just a little bit harder, the option of failure weighing on his every thought…

Two miles, that was all that was left…

ARA POV~

A hot tear streaked down her cheek as she looked at her capture.

"Bree might have not known she was helping me, but she did." Michael had an evil glint in his eye as he looked at her.

"Did you follow her?" Ara willed him to answer her, the wicked grin on his lips told her otherwise, no Bree did not betray her, he had snuck his way in and spied just like he did on her and Happy. A feeling a relief settled in her gut regardless of her current situation, Bree did not betray her knowingly.

"It really wasn't so difficult, now come with me my dear it is time for us to eat." He loomed over her and Ara felt a chill down her spine.

"And me and Happy, how did you know what was going on between us?" Ara looked at him from beneath thick lashes.

"It's because I was watching you…"

HAPPY POV~

As he parked his bike near Bulldog machinery a block away, he knew that a quiet approach was his best bet right now. He could hear the crunch of the gravel under his boots as his every step got closer to the building, closer to her…Ara.

He might not be a man of many words, but the feelings he was feeling, no one could relate to him, and he would not be one of those lovesick bastards that pined over a woman. The sick fucker had taken, for once in Happy's life, something that mattered, and for once in his life, he needed someone to confide in. As he climbed the steps of the steel looking building, he felt something akin to panic and anticipation, for not once knowing what to expect and having to defend something that hit so close to home. He went back to the thought of his and his mother's final visit.

_"Mijo…you have to let someone in." A fragile smile left his mothers mouth._

_The site of his mother lying in bed so frail and so weak, this was it, she was leaving. _

"_I am mama."_

_"No mijo, you have to let someone in, truly in. I know you have your brothers of the club. But you need someone who will be on your side no matter what. You like Ara?"_

_Happy wrapped his fingers around his mothers. The relationship between the two had never been an easy or smooth one. Yet there was no room for anger, no room for resentment, he looked into the eyes of the stubborn woman who raised his hellion ass and now that same woman slowly faded before his eyes. _

_"Ma, Ara…she's…"_

_Maria could only look him in the eye, waiting for him to go further and confide in her what he had never admitted to anyone else. This was they man only she was privileged to see, not even his brothers knew this side that she knew. When he gave the final look that resembled confusion with a hint of uncertainty, and his mother, with the kind character that she was, gave a soft smile and finished for him the thoughts that no one else would ever know._

_"Arabella is someone special. She is smart, kind, and resourceful. And I know you like her. You have been watchful of her since she entered this home."_

_"Mama, she is going to have a baby…"_

_His mother's eyes shone brightly._

_"Who's?" she continued to look at him._

_He looked back at her, those old assessing eyes that had seen so much. He knew he had no choice but to tell her the truth._

_"Mine mama…"_

_The silence between them felt like forever. She looked at her hands and after a few minutes she looked up at Happy._

_"I am to be grandmother?" her eyes had shown more brightly than they had in months._

_"Yes."_

Happy snapped back into reality as his feet crunched against the gravel in the parking lot, they had made it, Bulldog Machinery was only a mere 100 feet away.

It was time to go to war….

_TO BE CONTINUED…._


	20. Chapter 19 Part II

**Here it is...the final chapter. What will happen, will he get there in time? What is Ara going to do now that she is in the grasp of a madman?! DISCLAIMER TIME: I do not own SOA or any of its characters, a fictitious work of my imagination. With that, I want to say thank you for taking this journey with me and faithfully reading my chapters and leaving your encouraging comments! Much appreciated! With that, lets get this show on the road! Happy reading :-)**

**Chapter 19**

**Part II**

**"It eventually ends"**

Ara sat across from Michael at a makeshift dining table. He had set up a meal for them to eat. Fidgeting in her chair, looking at her options of escape, and to be honest, they were bleak. There was no way out that he would not catch her first, his chair was closest to the door, she had her chains, and he also revealed that not only was he carrying a knife but he had a hand gun as well.

"Michael, what are we going to do from here?"

He stopped what he was doing and just stood there dumbfounded. Not moving, it felt like eternity has passed and still no answer.

"You have thought of what we are going to do, now that you have me, right?" she spoke softly trying to maintain calm and keep him calm as well.

Still he stood there not moving a muscle. Finally he turned to look at her, pure confusion in his glare.

_He doesn't know…_

"Michael, are you ok? Do you need something?"

He walked over to the table and sat down across from her and just stared, the lump in her throat felt itchy and a little larger. Still he stared. Finally he spoke.

"I hadn't thought of what would happen once I actually got you back." The truthfulness of his statement was unexpected, could he brought back from this craziness?

He stood up so abruptly she could not help but recoil and take a sharp breath in.

HAPPY POV~

They had just finished climbing the multilayered entrance of the building when the door burst open. Bud and Bree came running out, hands entangled and both were out of breath.

Chibs placed a hand on his shoulder to help steady him, he never let go of Bree's hand as he looked at his brothers. He tried to get out a sentence.

"Down….stairs…..he's…got….her…..chained….up!" he pointed towards the open door that was black and looked like it was the entrance to hell. She was down there, and he needed to get her. Bud slowly got his breath back and was able to talk somewhat better. "We couldn't….get her out….he had her chained…to a fucking….wall."

The clench in Happy's jaw and glint in his eye made the others cautious, knowing what he was capable of when he was in a mood like this. He looked at his brothers around him, at Bud, at Bree and turned and went through the door.

ARA POV~

He had moved so fast she was caught off guard and now his hands were wrapped around her throat. She coughed and felt the pressure in her head start to build as she fought for air. He looked murderous as he glared into her eyes with hate.

"Please…" was all she could choke out.

At that, his eyes softened and he shoved her hard back into the chair, he spun away back to the table. Ara began to cough and gulp in air. Her head sagged towards her knees and she felt the tears come down her face. More coughing, more gasping for air as hot tears stung her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

"I was a good man before you came into my life." He stood at the table and looked around. "I was going to do so many things, and then you came along…" he looked at the table settings, grabbed the knife and turned back to her. "This is your entire fault!" he advanced on her.

Ara got up and started to move away from him as much as she could.

HAPPY POV~

He moved down the stairwell, complete blackness. He could see a flicker of light from the furnace lit and burning in the bottom of this hellhole. He pulled his gun out continued to move further down.

His brothers were behind him and they too had their guns drawn, when they reached the bottom platform, it split off in three directions; left, right, and lower.

Chibs and Juice went left, Jax and Bud when right, leaving the lower level to Happy. He moved forward. Gradually he went into the bowels of the building.

ARA POV~

Ara's head snapped to the right as Michaels hand slapped her across the face. The sting was viscous and she gave a small yell. That was when she realized that while she may have been bonded at the hands, he failed to attach her chain to a base. The mere foot of chain between her hands was enough. She started to move around the table dodging his fist as it swung full force at her. She picked up a plate of food off the table and threw it at him with all of her might. He shrugged the hit off as if it was nothing but still she moved out of his reach.

"Why you running love?!" his sneer raked her nerves.

_Enough!_

"Fuck you, you goddamned psycho!" she let every piece of contempt and hate she had in her go into her voice. She grabbed more items from the table and threw them at him.

He ducked and just missed the bottle that came flying at his head, he grabbed the chain she was dragging along and pulled, Ara's feet were swept out from under her and she landed with a thud and the air rushing from her lungs. Just as she was getting her air back, he lunged and landed on top of her once again causing the air she had just got back to leave once more.

"Unnh.."

"You fucking bitch! I would have given you everything!" His fingers bit into her hair and his other hand grabbed her chin to force her to look at him.

In a surreal moment as she was looking up at his eyes…

_"Ok, glad you remember how to use it!" Bree smiled at her. _

_"Of course I remember how to use it! You only drilled it into me 100 times!" Ara said with a giggle. The girls sat on the floor and leaned against each other. _

Michael's fingers found the spot and started to crush her throat once again.

Sputter, whimper, air was leaving but not coming back in. Again, her vision blurred.

_"What are you going to do?!"Bree looked her in the eye as they were in a mock attack._

_"I'm gonna win."_

Ara took her hands off his and snaked them around his neck, her eyes locked onto the large bracelet Bree had given her when she came to town. She looked Michael in the eyes and reached for the dangling clip on the side of the bracelet. A small wire came out and she looped it around his throat and started to pull with all of her might.

She felt his grip start to loosen and she took the opportunity to gasp in air. She shoved her weight as Bree had taught her and threw them into a roll. She was on top and continued to pull the cord tighter…tighter. His arms fell limp from her neck, and he started to grasp at his own.

"Doesn't feel so great does it fucker?!" Just when he was about to pass out she let go and kicked him with all of her might in his stomach. She turned to run and made it a few feet away when she collapsed to the floor once more. She turned her head to see that Michael had once again used the chain hooked to her foot. She tried to kick him away and he pulled the chain, which pulled her back towards him.

She kicked, fought, and yelled, determined to get away from him. He still managed to crawl back on top of her. She threw her hand at him and scratched him across his face. He yelled and when he looked back at her, he raised his hand and slapped her across the face, in the same exact spot, the burning this time was palpable and her eye felt like it had come out of its socket.

"Where is your precious biker huh?! He's not here, it's just you and me babe!" He screamed in her face as he once again started to strangle her.

"I'm right here." That raspy voice came from behind him and that quick Michael was pulled off her, jerked to the ground.

Ara gasped and coughed once more, she looked up in time to see Happy grab Michael by the collar of his shirt and jacket. He gave a harsh punch to his face, raised him up again and punched him again. The punches came one after the other.

Michael managed to kick out and knock him over. The men were locked in a tangle punching and rolling. Ara could only watch the scene unfold. Happy was on top and shoved his fist into his side only to be thrown to the side and Michael was on top punching Happy in the face.

The punches could be heard with each landing, and the smell of blood started to rise in the air. Michael staggered to his feet and Happy mirrored the same image. Bleeding from his lip and the temple of his head, breathing heavy but clearly ready to kill him. Michael looked him in the eye and sneered.

He grabbed the knife of a near counter and gave a smile showing his blood coated teeth. He threw the knife and Happy ducked, the blade just missing his chest. He jumped on Michael and drove his own knife slowly, ever so slowly into his heart. And that was when they both heard it…

"Happy?" Ara's voice was shakey. Happy started to turn to look at her but stopped when Michael gave a look of victory that made his nerves frayed with anger. Michael grabbed Happy's shirt and pulled himself up and closer to deliver his final words.

"Now neither of us gets her biker…" blood startled froth at his mouth and turned into a steady stream. Happy continued to push the knife into his chest and twist it as he drove it in further and harder. Then it sunk in…the unmistakable sound when metal meets flesh and bone. He let go of the knife and spun around to look at her.

Ara stood only feet from where they were, she was looking down, down at the blade that was firmly planted in her chest just below her left breast. Her fingers touched the hilt of the knife and she slowly raised her head to look up at him, a look of confusion and shock on her face.

She fell to her knees and just as quick Happy was in front of her, his arms wrapping around her. He gently held her in his arms, he looked at the blade in her chest and then at the tears brimming in her eyes. The sound of sadistic chuckling in the background came up and he turned to look back at the fucker that had ruined her life.

"Looks like I win…" blood bubbled around his mouth as he laughed.

Happy gently laid her down, walked over to him one last time, his eyes glinting as he stared down at his prey. Michael continued to laugh and it only infuriated him more. He put the heel of his boot on his stomach and pulled the knife out of his chest causing a sickening sucking noise, he raised the blade and swiftly brought it across his throat severing his neck half was through. Blood sprayed across the room and across his blood splattered white shirt.

He watched the life leave his eyes. At that moment, the guys burst through the door.

"Jesus Christ…" Jax said as he took in the scene.

Chibs was already at Ara's side looking at the knife careful not to jostle it further. Happy turned and had her back in his arms once again. He looked at Chibs, he could only shake his head. Chibs sat back on his heels and placed his head in his hands.

Happy looked down at Ara's face. She could only smile as she allowed the tears to flow.

"It's okay…" her voice was shaking but she ran her fingers over his chin. Happy could only stare at her face, indecisive about what he should do. He always killed them, never comforted someone. He could only hold on to her. His fingers going into the curls of her hair as his thumb slid along her jaw.

"I'm glad I got to have you. I'm sorry about this, the whole mess, the baby…" her voice was getting quieter and quieter, her movements less and less and she settled her hand on her abdomen.

Still he stared. The guys could only stare at the scene that was unfolding in front of them. And she drew her last breath and closed her eyes. Her hand fell from his chin and landed limply on the floor.

She was gone…


	21. Chapter 21

**Hello my lovies! I get that a lot of you were disappointed in how the last chapter ended, but what can I tell you, sometimes you have to have the never-saw-it-coming element, and we all knew Michael had to die! So I had to do something different and frankly, it was the most dramatic ending I could think of! With that being said, I have come back and wrote an epilogue that will hopefully explain my thought process. DISCLAIMER TIME! I do not own SOA nor any of the characters, I do however own ARA, BREE, and BILL. With that being said for the final time...****Happy reading! **

**Epilogue**

**To be or not to be**

The ominous crack of thunder had Happy shooting straight up in his bead, lightening illuminated the room. He was sweating and breathing heavy. He looked around his room, hand moving to where Ara had laid. He swore he could feel Ara's hair gliding across his arm, her breath coming across his chest. His own bare chest heaved as he struggled to grasp what had happened. She was gone she was dead.

_What the fuck?!_

He stood out of bed and looked around his room, none of her belongings were there. No crib, no trace of a woman.

"What the fuck?!" he whispered. He wandered out of his room to the kitchen. Nothing was the same, who was in his house and took all of her stuff? Whoever it was was going to pay. He continued into the kitchen opened the fridge and pulled out a beer, and swallowed it in three hefty gulps. He wandered to the kitchen window looking out at the storm rolling outside. He went back to bed, fed up with this fucked up day.

NEXT MORNING~

Happy got up and dressed. He walked out of his room once again puzzled at who took all of her stuff; he was going to kill them.

He walked down his hallway and into the kitchen and froze. The muscles in his arms and neck tensing.

_No fucking way…_

His mother sat at the table, she was fragile and weak, like in the beginning. Still she sat at the table in the same spot she always did, drinking her coffee and looking at the paper.

She looked up and smiled at him. He could only stare dumb founded, unable to speak.

"Mijo, are you ok?" she looked puzzled.

He could only sit across from her and stare.

"My case worker is coming today, she wants to do the interviews for the live in nurse. I know you said you didn't want anyone, but you can't be here all the time. I can go to the home as well too." A feeling a familiarity and déjà vu skittered down his spine, but no one would ever know least of all tell his confused state of mind.

"No." he rasped out. Still in shock, she was alive, and talking to him. He was wondering what the fuck was happening.

After a morning of weird conversation, Happy left to get to the clubhouse. His bike rumbled down the road and again he wondered what the fuck was happening. It couldn't have been a dream. The interview, the spring, the baby, that fuckwit Michael, it all happened. He knew it did.

The rest of the day was just as weird, his brothers acted like she never existed, as if she was never there. He was standoffish, more so than usual. This entire fucking day just needed to end, he stood in his silent manner that was his alone and left without saying a word, leaving a confused room of bikers.

On his way home, he saw the Charming fair was happening, like it should have _months ago_. His bike came to a stop at the light. He looked around the street at the people laughing and walking around, just as he was getting ready to turn back to his drive, he noticed something, familiar tan legs, and that long hair in curls he liked. He struggled to see amongst the crowd, he swore he just saw…

He pulled his bike off to the side and parked it; he jumped off his bike and moved towards the fair. He felt like he wandered through the fair chasing a ghost, and after this day, maybe he was chasing ghosts and no one wanted to tell him he had finally gone crazy. The killer finally cracked and made up some fantasy. He was ready to give up searching and it was then he saw her…

She had on jean cutoffs, same long tan legs, and long hair in those curls he liked his fingers to go through. She had on a white flowing oversized tee shirt that turned into a turquoise at the bottom. She was carrying flowers around a stand laughing.

Closer he moved towards her, three more steps and he could hear her laughing. His gut tightened in a knot. Her laugh was still that perfectly pitched sound that sent a feeling under his skin. Closer yet he moved. Now she was just a mere few feet away, her back was turned towards him and she was talking to someone behind the stand.

His hand reached out and looped one of those soft curls, exactly as he remembered it feeling. Before he knew it, he was a mere foot behind her and he could smell her perfume. It was floral and soft. His hand glided up that curl, and she turned around.

_Hazel eyes…_

He sucked in his breath and looked down into those piercing eyes, her lips were soft and plump. She had a moment of shock in her eyes.

"Ohh, excuse me! Can I help you?" She gave him a smile. When he didn't answer, she lifted her eyebrows in confusion.

"Do you need some flowers?" again she smiled.

He nodded his head.

"Do you know what you're looking for?" He shook his head as curtly as he nodded it.

"Ok, so how about I show you some of the one's I like and we will go from there? Is it for someone special?"

"You could say that." His raspy voice replied without a hint of emotion.

After a few minutes of showing him different flowers that she loved, especially the lilies, she added a few complementary ones and then wrapped them up.

"Ok, that will be $43.50." She smiled at him as she took his money and counted out his change. When he accepted his change back he let his fingers brush hers. He turned and left, not taking the flowers with him.

When she turned back around and saw the bouquet on the table she looked for him, saw him near the street about to leave the fair. She grabbed the flowers and ran after him.

"Wait!" she hollered out. She started a small sprint.

"Wait you forgot your flowers!" She reached him and placed her hand on his upper arm to stop him. He turned his harsh gaze on her.

"You forgot these." She smiled and held the flowers out. He just looked at them and then at her. He stared at her waiting for something.

"Are you ok mister?" she continued to hold the flowers out for him to take.

"I didn't forget them." His raspy voice finally let out.

"Oh." She pulled the flowers back to her body and looked at him.

"Well, can you at least tell me your name? I have to thank you properly, and that is kind of hard when I don't have a name." She gave a small smile and tucked one of her long loose curls behind her ear.

"Happy."

"Happy? Are you serious?" She looked at him with a disbelieving smile. Again he gave her a curt nod.

"Well Happy, my name is Melody." She held her hand out, he looked at it for a brief second and then wrapped his large rough hand around her small soft one. She smiled at him, and he gave her a sly one back.

"Melody." He rasped.

**The end or the beginning?**


End file.
